Everyone loves the classic comic stripPeanuts, and that includes the world’s newest Pope! It’s only been a week since the world has been introduced to the newest leader of the Catholic Church and everyone is eager to know more about him. As it turns out, he’sa fan of Charles Schulz’sgreatest creations,Charlie Brown and Snoopy.
On May 8th, just weeks after the death of Pope Francis, the Sacred College of Cardinals convened to elect Robert Francis Prevost as the the next head of the Catholic Church. In the days that followed, people began looking into Prevost’s social media accounts to get a sense of what the new Pope was really like. As it turns out, Pope Leo XIV, as he’s now known, is a bigPeanutsfan.
In 2020, Pope Leo XIV retweeted onX(then Twitter) which showcasedSnoopy and Charlie Browndiscussing the intelligence (or lack thereof) of the people of the world.
Pope Leo XIV Retweeted Peanuts Meme in 2020
The First Pope Who’s Also a Peanuts Fan?
Created by Charles Schulz in 1950,Peanutshas been delighting readers for years. While the strip featured a wide range of child characters, such as Peppermint Patty, Lucy Van Pelt and her brother Linus,the strip is iconic for its Charlie Brown and Snoopy characters, who not only heavily feature in the comics, but the animated spin-offs as well. At its height,Peanutsran in nearly 3000 papers, with a readership of hundreds of millions of fans in over 75 countries. WhilePeanutsended over two decades ago, it remains one of the most popular comic strips of all time.
X users were pleasantly surprised at the discovery that Pope Leo XIV was aPeanutsfan, making memes of their own to draw attention to the leader’s love of ‘boomer humor’. One fan even drew the Pope sitting next to Snoopy in tribute. It should come asno surprise that Pope Leo XIV likesPeanutsas it was one of the most beloved comic strips of all time. But still, it’s nice to see that the Pope has a good sense of humor, something that really humanizes him as he steps into this incredibly weighty role he’s taking on.
Peanutsis the Great Equalizer Between Spiritual Leaders and Average People
Who Doesn’t Identify with the Peanuts' Signature Humor?
The people looking through Pope Leo XIV’s social media history are doing so because they want to know who he is and what he stands for. Right now, many are looking to see what his values are as he prepares to lead the Catholic Church into a new era. While it’s hard to glean much from one’s retweets, it’s safe to say that Pope Leo XIV is able to look at things through a lighter lens (not to mention,he must have good taste if he likesPeanuts).
The Pope might have a huge responsibility on his shoulders, but at the end of the day, he’s like any other Peanuts fan. Someone who likes a good gag and can see the funny side of things. Will that translate to how he’ll lead the Catholic Church? It’s hard to say. Hopefully thisPeanutsfan will have a little bit more to say than ‘good grief’ when addressing the world.
