A 2008 Photo Of Pope Leo Rocking Nike Sneakers Has The Internet Bringing The Jokes

No matter what a person's opinions might be of him, Pope Leo XIV has transformed our perception of who the Pope is by simply being himself.

As the first American Pope and a lover of the White Sox and Peeps marshmallows, he's greatly humanized the role since his induction in May 2025, and he's been giving not only of spirit but of inspiration for internet memes.

He went viral recently for holding a baseball bat on a plane, which viewers at the time didn't realize had just been given to him by someone who wanted to honor his love of the game.

Now, he's gone viral again, this time for his shoes.

For a documentary that's currently in production about Pope Leo XIV's life, called Leone a Roma, photographs and videos are being collected, a few of which were taken on World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, in 2008.

In one photo, the Pope is seen walking across a lawn with his head down, and a pair of white and black Nike sneakers is visible beneath his robes.

Viewers were tickled by the photo, because it's yet another great example of Pope Leo XIV living his life, not just as a fellow human being with human interests, but also very much as an American with American tastes.

Just like with the baseball bat, the jokes and memes were quick to pour in, and they did not disappoint.

Maybe it's just a pair of black and white Nike sneakers, but since the appropriate attire for Catholic church officials is well-shined black dress shoes or dress flats in a color and fabric that matches their robes, seeing a pair of Nike sneakers on Pope Leo's feet is surprising and even funny.

Though this moment pre-dates his time as the Pope by over 15 years, it's still a great reminder of this particular Pope's unique sense of style, personality, and humor, which has been a joy for people everywhere to witness, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Part of the Pope's role is to unite the world and bring it closer together, and maybe there's a small shot of that happening, one internet meme at a time.