“WHEN I GROW UP, I WANT TO BE POPE!” HERE IS LEO XIV’S REPLY
Giacomo lives in Colere, in the Valle di Scalve, and has had mobility difficulties since birth. On Wednesday 7 October, in St Peter’s Square, his dream of meeting the Pope and telling him about himself came true.
He was born prematurely, at twenty-nine weeks, weighing just 1.2 kilograms. Today, Giacomo Lazzaroni is five and eager to share his story. On Wednesday 7 October 2026, he met Pope Leo XIV in person.
A dream spoken out loud
“I want to become Pope”: that is how Giacomo expressed his wish, according to the account published by L’Eco di Bergamo. Leo XIV’s reply? “The most beautiful thing is to be a priest.” A brief encounter, filled with emotion.
A family close to the Church
There are several priests in Giacomo’s family. On his mother’s side, four of his grandmother’s brothers became priests, including Bishop Francesco Panfilo. On his father’s side, the family’s history includes Father Girolamo Lazzaroni, a missionary who died a martyr in China in 1941.
For Giacomo, that morning was no longer a story he had heard from someone else: it was an encounter of his very own. A wish spoken out loud, and a Pope who stopped to listen.
