'Chosen' Jesus actor Jonathan Roumie meets Pope Leo XIV in biblical crossover
In a meeting of biblical proportions, the pope and Jesus took a selfie – well, sort of.
Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus Christ on "The Chosen," snapped a selfie with the newly elected pope recently, who shared it with fans on social media.
Roumie, who has portrayed the holy figure on the Christian historical drama for five seasons, can be seen posing next to Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from America. The photo, shared to Instagram by the pope's official account, was part of a carousel of images showing the pontiff alongside worshipers in Vatican City.
"Every time we perform an act of faith addressed to Jesus, we grow in our connection with Him, and His grace is bestowed immediately," the caption reads. "At times we are unaware of it, but in a secret and real way, His grace reaches us and gradually transforms our life from within."
Followers quickly recognized Roumie's face and began sharing GIFs of him as Jesus in "The Chosen" in the comment section. The show, which first premiered in 2017, dramatizes the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, retelling a well-worn ancient biblical tale with the help of modern Hollywood magic.
Roumie, in Vatican City Monday, June 23, after wrapping filming for parts of the series' sixth season in Italy last week, told reporters the visit was a "humbling honor," according to the Catholic News Agency.
"The fact we're here now, sitting at the Vatican … is a testament to, I think, how God wants to continue to further this mission to bring more people to Jesus and to bring Jesus to them," he said of the show during a press conference.
"When (Pope Leo XIV) was elected, I wept, because I never thought I'd see an American pope in my lifetime," he continued, "to communicate to him in our native language this week is just something I never thought I would see in my life."
Pope Leo, who was elected in May to the surprise of close conclave watchers, is the first to hail from the United States in the history of the church. A Chicago native, he attended Villanova University, Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
This is not Roumie's first meeting with a pontiff – in 2021, the actor met Pope Francis at another general audience with crowds in the Italian city.