Pooping pontiff figurine hits Barcelona shelves ahead of Pope Leo visit

A defecating figurine of Pope Leo is lining Barcelona shop shelves ahead of the pontiff’s visit to the city on Tuesday (June 9), where he will inaugurate a new tower at the famed Sagrada Familia.

Known as “caganers,” (poopers) the small clay figurines depict characters squatting with their trousers down. They are produced by Spanish craftsmen in keeping with a long-standing tradition from the northeastern Catalonia region.

At a caganer shop in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, customers visiting from overseas said they were both delighted and surprised by the Pope Leo figurine, situated on a shelf beside his predecessor Pope Francis and other famed figures ranging from Bad Bunny to Lionel Messi.

Tato Fuentes, director of Caganer.com stores, said Pope Leo’s visit to Spain is good for business.

“Whenever we have an event, like this one in both Madrid and Barcelona, the sales of Pope Leo increase because many people come to see this event,” Fuentes said.

The "caganer" figures were originally designed as comical shepherds hidden among nativity scenes for sharp-eyed visitors to spot, but the tradition has expanded to include world leaders and celebrities who have dominated the headlines over the past year.

Production: Amy McConaghy, Natasa Bansagi/Reuters