Over the weekend, many were taken aback by a watch, rather than a papal edict.

During a recent Holy Mass, the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, previously Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago, was observed wearing an Apple Watch, which many internet observers found both amusing and intriguing.

The 69-year-old pontiff was officially welcomed into office on May 8 and has already made headlines for advocating for peace in Ukraine and Gaza, including a cease-fire, hostage release, and greater humanitarian assistance. He also lauded India and Pakistan’s recent ceasefire accord. This time, however, the talk was about technology rather than geopolitics.

Photos from a recent Mass show the pope in traditional robes, blessing the crowd with his right hand and wearing an Apple Watch on his left wrist.

Naturally, social media embraced it.

“Him wearing an Apple Watch gets me every time,” one user said on X.

“The Pontiff wearing an Apple Watch is a really surreal image,” another person said.

“The Apple Watch is so funny,” a third added.

This is not the first time the Pope’s wristbands have gone viral. Following his election, observant users caught glimpses of the wristwatch in various styles. The Apple-focused blog 9to5Mac even uploaded a close-up photo on Instagram, fueling conjecture in the comments.

“Newly elected Pope Leo XIV is making buzz in the tech and watch communities after being seen wearing an Apple Watch during his first official mass,” according to the headline. “It’s unclear what model this is.” Any guesses?”

The message was promptly reshared by Apple News accounts, confirming what many people suspected: the Pope is an Apple Watch user.

One Reddit user even discovered an older photo of Leo XIV, who was not yet Pope, blessing a parishioner while wearing the identical watch.

“During his first Holy Mass, Pope Leo XIV sported an Apple Watch, which he had worn previously before being elected a cardinal,” according to the blog entry.

It’s a bizarre scene, combining traditional ritual with modern technology. It may make sense. In an age where even your grandmother tracks her walks, why shouldn’t the pope?

The only thing left is, what is his daily step goal?