Kiss live. Gay couple charmed the world during the election of the new Pope
On 8 May, after a two-day conclave, the 267th Pope was elected - the American Robert Prevost, a native of Chicago and holder of Peruvian citizenship. He took the name Leo XIV and became the first ever US-born pope. His election came as a surprise to many - he was not one of the favourites. However, as a centrist candidate, he was known for his close relationship with the late Pope Francis, who died this April at the age of 88.
During his pontificate, Pope Francis opened up space for cautious changes in the Catholic Church's approach to LGBTQ+ issues. Although he was not unequivocally in favour of marriage for same-sex couples, his famous words "who am I to judge?" resonated far beyond Church circles.
Robert Prevost, meanwhile, has a less accommodating rhetoric than his predecessor. In the past, for example, he has been critical of the "homosexual lifestyle" and of "alternative families made up of same-sex partners and their adopted children." He has also questioned the existence of gender diversity, describing the term "gender ideology" as "a confusing concept that creates genders that do not exist".
It is in the context of these statements that the moment when two men kissed each other during the live broadcast of the election of the new Pope acts as a silent but powerful gesture of queer visibility. The footage, which was subsequently shared on the social network X, shows crowds of people in euphoria. In the middle of the camera's field of view, however, one couple stops and gives each other a brief kiss. One of the men, identified on social media as Juan, later posted a photo showing the two in the same outfits - this time right outside St Peter's Basilica.
Given the history of the Catholic Church's attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people, which is often marked by conservative doctrine and rejectionist attitudes, such a moment has particular power.
It is not a provocation, but a reminder that queer believers exist and have a right to be seen - even in places where their existence has been rather overlooked.
