Pope Leo marks moon landing anniversary with call to Buzz Aldrin

Pope Leo XIV held a video call with astronaut Buzz Aldrin July 20 to commemorate the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, according to a Vatican News report.

The conversation revisited the events of July 20, 1969, when Aldrin, alongside fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong, participated in the first human landing on the Moon. The pope and Aldrin shared personal reflections on the moment.

“This evening, 56 years after the Apollo 11 moon landing, I spoke with the astronaut Buzz Aldrin,” Pope Leo said in a statement posted on X. “Together we shared the memory of a historic feat, a testimony to human ingenuity, and we reflected on the mystery and greatness of Creation.”

According to Vatican News, Pope Leo gave a blessing to Aldrin and his family before the call concluded. 

After the exchange, Aldrin also took to social media to share his experience and express his gratitude for the pope’s call.

“[My wife] Anca and I were grateful and touched to receive the highest blessing from His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV on the 56th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing,” he wrote. “What an honor! We prayed for good health, long life, and prosperity for all humankind.”

The pope also spent part of the day at the Vatican Observatory in Castel Gandolfo, where he examined the site’s telescopes and scientific equipment.