Pope Leo XIV surprised the crowd by using the viral ‘six-seven’ hand gesture while riding through Madrid in what appeared to be a nod to the Gen-Z followers.
The Pope arrived in Spain on Saturday, June 6 for a visit until June 12, in which he will inaugurate the new Jesus Christ tower in Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia basilica and meet migrants who crossed from Africa to get to Europe.
Read more: Pope’s visit to Spain fuels tensions over migration
The 6-7 or Six-Seven trend is an internet meme and phrase, which is often likened to an up-and-down weighing gesture.
The Pope first used the gesture when he was on a Vatican walkabout with children three weeks ago. The gesture is thought to have originated with the American rapper Skrilla and may refer to a police radio channel.
Despite its popularity among young people on social media, its meaning has remained elusive.
The Pope’s gesture comes amid research which shows that though the so-called Gen-Z generation is least interested in religion among all age groups, this appears to be changing.
A 2025 major Pew Research Center survey found that Christianity’s long decline among young people has slowed in some countries. Young men, it showed, increased interest in religion and going to church.
However, there is still not yet convincing evidence of a large-scale Christian revival among people. Interest in spirituality remains significant, but it takes different forms among different demographic groups.
Also in 2025, the Quiet Revival report by the Bible Society challenged the idea that Christian faith was waning among young people.
Based on a YouGov survey it commissioned, it suggested the number of Gen Z people who attended church in England and Wales had risen sharply in the past six years.
The Atlantic newspaper reported in April 2026 that for the past decade, the Vatican has held annual closed-door conferences with prominent Silicon Valley figures, known as Minerva Dialogues, focused on AI ethics — suggesting the Church is actively engaging with the forces shaping the world its younger members are inheriting.
Featured image: Casa de S.M el Rey via X
