Pulitzer Prize-winning AP photographer Emilio Morenatti captured a defining image of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Barcelona last Tuesday. Breaking standard security protocols, Morenatti positioned himself within the crowd to photograph the Pontiff holding the hands of seven-year-old Joaquim. The boy’s mother, Montse Martínez, stated the encounter left her son speechless with joy.
The moment culminated a nine-day prayer vigil by the family for tickets to the event attended by 40,000 worshippers. A security officer lifted both Joaquim and his infant brother, Gaudí, toward the popemobile for a personal blessing. Morenatti recognized the shot's significance immediately but lacked the family's contact information.
Morenatti launched a search on X, generating over 500,000 views and mobilizing the local Church. The parents independently identified the photographer using ChatGPT after seeing the image in La Vanguardia. The two parties connected via Instagram and spoke by phone to arrange delivery of a printed copy. Martínez described the reunion as a miracle attributed to architect Antoni Gaudí, hoping the encounter supports his future canonization.