Pope Leo XIV attacked: an object thrown at his head

Pope Leo XIV was the victim of an apparent assault this Saturday, June 28, when a man threw an object directly at her head during a tour of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican . The incident was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media.

In the images, the Pope is seen walking and approaching hundreds of faithful to impart blessings. From the crowd, an adult pilgrim, wearing a white T-shirt, shows him what appears to be a garment. When he receives no response, the man decides to throw it directly at the Pope's head , as the security personnel surrounding the Pope look on.

Despite the obvious contact of the object with his head, Pope Leo XIV reacted calmly . He merely tilted his neck slightly and smiled, without interrupting his walk or ceasing to greet the parishioners present.

What some faithful interpreted as an act of desperation seeking a blessing or a reaction from the Church leader, others considered disrespectful and even symbolic aggression. The situation has drawn criticism from the Vatican security services for failing to intervene in the incident.

To date, the Vatican has not issued any official statement regarding what happened or the identity or motivations of the man who threw the object.

This episode occurred on the same day that Leo XIV led an audience with more than 4,000 Ukrainian pilgrims , to whom he expressed his sympathy for the suffering caused by the war in their country. During his message, the Pope prayed for the prisoners and victims and reiterated his hope for peace.

The incident involving the thrown object contrasts with the peaceful attitude that has characterized the Pope since the beginning of his pontificate. His gesture of tolerance and calm in the face of the incident has been hailed by faithful and observers as a sign of restraint amid a tense context.