Some of our friends and family did not believe us when we first showed them the photo. More than one person asked if the image was AI-generated. Every time, I joyfully shook my head and said, “No, we really shook hands with Pope Leo.”
Eleven days after my husband, Tanner, and I got married at the end of August, we were in Rome waiting in line at 6:00 a.m. to enter Vatican City, hoping to greet the new Pope Leo XIV during the Sposi Novelli audience. Sposi Novelli is a special blessing that newlywed couples receive from the pope during the Wednesday General Audience. In order to participate, couples must have been married within the last three months (a change from the previously mandated yearlong window), bring their marriage certificate, and dress in traditional wedding attire.
RELATED: Wisdom From Biblical Power Couples
As we stood in line, chatting with other newlywed couples and pilgrims from around the world, thousands of people were crowding outside St. Peter’s Square. The menacing gray clouds that had threatened rain all morning finally burst, and we put on clear plastic ponchos as puddles soaked our feet during the hours we waited in line. When we were finally seated on the steps near where Pope Leo would deliver his address to the audience, the rain beat down harder, drenching the newlywed couples in our suits and white dresses. Eventually, the ushers shouted for all the newlyweds to stand up and follow them inside the Vatican. Tanner and I followed along in the chaos, not knowing exactly what was happening. As we took our seats inside, I began to worry whether we would get to see Pope Leo when he entered St. Peter’s Square.
Sure enough, when the popemobile drove through, we watched it from a screen broadcast into the auditorium. We experienced the entire audience through pixels – watching Pope Leo kissing babies and receiving gifts as he drove around the crowd, hearing the Gospel readings proclaimed in several languages, along with Pope Leo’s reflection on Jesus’ suffering, witnessing the blessing of the audience and holy objects, and the long line of dignitaries and diplomats who greeted the pope one-by-one after his remarks.
I tried to trust that we had received the blessing and participated in the audience through the screen broadcast, but I lacked the joy and exhilaration I had hoped would envelop me. The day had been stressful, uncomfortable, and full of waiting, and I was anxious that we had missed our opportunity to see the pope.
LISTEN: Dr. Edward and Beth Sri Talk Marriage After the Honeymoon Phase
Two hours after Pope Leo finished his audience, other groups of people began joining us in the auditorium. There was a nervous, excited energy as everyone glued their eyes to the door. Finally, Pope Leo entered, flanked by security guards, as he stopped to greet various clusters of people. We continued to wait, unsure whether Pope Leo would visit our group of newlyweds at the edge of the auditorium. He took his time greeting others with a gentle smile and calm demeanor. His presence was not commanding, but grounding, an anchor among the jittery nerves. He was not in a rush like I was, instead taking his time, fully present in the moment with each person he met. Tanner and I marveled at how Pope Leo must do this all the time — standing on his feet, greeting people for hours, always with a smile.
After all the other groups had their moments with the pope, he arrived at the Sposi Novelli section. Pope Leo made his way through slowly and intentionally, reaching out his hand to the newlywed couples around us. I knew that our moment had come at last and that the wait had been more than worth it. When Pope Leo arrived in front of us, Tanner and I both extended our hands and told him we had traveled from Chicago. Pope Leo smiled and nodded, repeating the name of our shared city, as the three of us stood there, smiling at each other, not thinking about anything else. After about 20 seconds, Pope Leo continued on, and we watched, elated for ourselves and for all the couples around us. Then, there was nothing left for us to do but gather our belongings and walk out of the Vatican, tired, happy, and a little delirious from the adventure of the morning and the extraordinary moment we shared with the pontiff.
WATCH: Sacraments 101: Matrimony
So much of our lives is spent waiting, climbing the peaks toward moments that feel so worthwhile we nearly forget all that it took to get there. The experience of meeting the pope was a microcosm of this, a reminder that these times of waiting are not just placeholders, but formative experiences in themselves. Waiting to meet the pope allowed me to deepen my trust in God’s plan for our new marriage and in patience for the blessings that will come. Waiting keeps us hungry for more, fostering resilience and perseverance until we reach the destination.
Even during those moments when we feel completely fulfilled, we are in a perpetual state of waiting. We are waiting for our complete union with God in heaven, a bliss which we can gain glimpses of here on earth, but never in the fullness that the Catholic faith promises. Whether you are waiting for a job offer, waiting to meet your future spouse, or just standing in line at the grocery store, know that your experience is both universal and integral in your journey. Waiting provides space for the growth that will allow us to fully appreciate the gifts of the peak moments, which — while brief — make up the fabric of our lives.
