Pope Francis is used to appearing in photos; he is, after all, one of the most famous humans on earth, given to presiding over large public gatherings and posing for countless souvenir photographs with his reverent fandom. Sometimes, that fandom includes creatures of the canine persuasion. Sometimes, those animals are lifted on high to get as close to his papal glory as possible. And sometimes, those divinely-blessed dogs make for an epic photobomb as their tongues loll, blissfully basking in the Pope’s presence.
At least, that’s what happened outside the Vatican in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday. It was a beautiful, sunny day in Rome, made all the better by this perfect capture of canine joy. The Pope was meeting with a dog training group in the square, Metro UK reports, and he also spent time with and blessed some of the other lucky dogs.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Raisa Bruner at raisa.bruner@time.com