Is this a sign of the times?
Harry Styles surprised fans as he joined thousands in Saint Peter’s Square, celebrating the historic moment an American pope was elected at the Vatican.
White smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Thursday night, signaling that the College of Cardinals had chosen a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month at age 88.
Shortly after he was elected, Pope Leo XIV — born Robert Francis Prevost — appeared in front of a sea of well-wishers — which included the 3-time Grammy winner.
The One Direction alum tried to blend in with the crowd, but he was spotted sporting a blue jacket, blacked-out shades and a hat that read, “Techno is My Boyfriend.”
An eagle-eyed fan snapped a photo of the “Watermelon Sugar” singer, 31, among the massive crowd of revelers.
“While I was watching the Pope’s announcement in St. Peter’s Square, Harry Styles passed by me and our eyes met, I immediately photographed this memory. What a day,” a fan, who shared the image on X, wrote in Turkish.
The image caused an instant frenzy on social media, as fans of the “As It Was” hitmaker rushed to comment on the unlikely celebrity sighting.
“Little did the pope know he was waving to Harry Styles,” one fan wrote on X.
Another added, “One thing about harry styles, he’s always going to accidentally serve cinema somewhere in Europe.”
“I thought he went to Italy but I didn’t expect this ????,” a third wrote.
Following the conclusion of his sold-out Love on Tour in July 2023, which was closely followed by the release of his Grammy-winning album “Harry’s House,” the singer has been jet-setting around the globe.
In March, Styles tested his endurance while taking part in the Tokyo marathon. The singer completed the 26.2-mile-long run in under 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Styles was back in London that month, where a ride-share driver snapped a pic of him and shared it on social media.
“Picked up this young fella on my way home tonight,” the fan wrote. “We got chatting and I said ‘You really sound like Harry Styles’ He said ‘That’s because I am Harry Styles’ ???????????? He was such a friendly young chap!”
The following month, Styles attended a run club in London — much to the surprise of fellow runners. The singer raised eyebrows with his unusual outfit of choice, opting for jeans and loafers for the occasion.