Pope Leo XIV received a drawing made by young patients of the Vatican’s Bambino Gesù Paediatric Hospital while on the flight to Spain. His apostolic journey runs from June 6 to 12. A few strokes of marker, a yellow sun, a white airplane, and a Spanish flag: the drawing shows the children’s vision of the Pope traveling among the clouds. It was given to him by journalists from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication who are aboard the papal flight. Pope Leo XIV took it in his hands, studied it attentively, and smiled. For a few moments his gaze lingered on the details: St. Peter’s keys drawn on the tail of the plane, the golden cross around the Pope’s neck as he looks out the window, and the large sun illuminating the entire scene. Then he thanked the journalists.
Behind those colors is a story that began in the hospital’s playroom, among tables, a box of markers, and scattered sheets of paper. Around those tables gather children from different places who share the same experience: hospital wards, check-ups, therapies, endless waits, and small victories quietly celebrated. It was in that setting that the gift for the Pope was born. The work was led especially by 9-year-old Giulia, who added a small heart next to her signature — an almost imperceptible detail that captures the spirit of the drawing.
This isn’t the first time the Pope has received a gift from Bambino Gesù patients. During Pope Leo’s apostolic journey to four African countries in April, the hospital’s children also accompanied him with one of their drawings. Born in a hospital playroom, the drawing now continues its journey in the Pope’s hands. It carries the quiet voice of children who know fragility but haven’t given up on imagination. In their own way, they’re saying: “Have a good visit!”