The 'Pope Francis Holding Things' meme is based on a series of photographs taken during the Pope's various liturgical services where he holds up the host (Eucharist) during Mass. Internet users began digitally replacing the host with various items ranging from pop culture artifacts like video games and vinyl records to absurd objects like pizza or other memes. The humor stems from the juxtaposition of the Pope's solemn, reverent expression with the often trivial or humorous items he is 'blessing.' It gained significant traction on platforms like Tumblr and Reddit as a way for fans to express their absolute devotion to a specific piece of media or a hobby, framing it as something truly sacred.