Talk about a full-circle moment for a class of eager elementary school students from Chicago.
Back in May, the students at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy in Lakeview, Illinois, staged a mock conclave to learn more about the actual conclave that was about to begin several thousand miles away in the Vatican.
The students, with their child-sized cardinal costumes and real air of seriousness and formality about the "task" ahead, quickly went viral and received national media attention.
On the third ballot of their "conclave," the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy "cardinals" voted in their fourth grade classmate Augie Wilk as pope. He took the name "Pope Augustine."
Two days later, in an act of amusing (amazing!) providence, the real (and considerably taller and older) conclave elected another Chicagoan as pope: Pope Leo XIV, who didn't take the name Augustine but IS a member of the Augustinian Order.
Several months later, on Wednesday, October 8, "Pope Augustine," the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy's "College of Cardinals," and some students dressed as Swiss Guards met the real Pope Leo XIV during a Wednesday audience.
Conclaves and smiles
Earlier this week, the schoolchildren embarked on the "field trip of a lifetime" from Chicago to Rome, hoping they would get the chance to meet Pope Leo XIV during the Wednesday General Audience.
Accompanied by their archbishop, Cardinal Blase Cupich (who, in June, told them what it was like in the real conclave), the students had a prime viewing spot for the audience. They were dressed in their conclave finest, and there were smiles all around.
And at the conclusion of the audience, Pope Leo XIV greeted and shook hands with the students -- and the two Chicago "popes" finally got to meet.
The children's outfits were a big hit among the attendees of the audience, with plenty of people posing for photos with the pint-sized "Pope."
And even the real Pope enjoyed the moment -- his official Instagram account included pictures of the encounter (swipe to see).
See a one-minute video from ABC Chicago here.
See more pictures of their incredible field trip below:
