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In February 2018, hundreds of thousands of social media users shared a heartwarming photograph of Pope Francis delivering a speech while holding hands with a young girl with Down syndrome. In some instances, though, the story accompanying the image was not quite accurate. For example, on 11 February, the TradCatFem (Traditional Catholic Femininity) Twitter account posted the photograph along with this description: The truth is still charming but contains a little less drama. In reality, this was not a regular papal service but an event at Clementine Hall in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, held in October 2017 for Italian Special Olympics athletes ahead of their participation in the Unified Football tournament, which included players with and without disabilities. A spokesperson for the Special Olympics told us by email that the girl in the photograph is Gemma Pompili, herself a Special Olympics athlete: The spokesperson, who was present at the event, confirmed to us that there was no intervention from security guards at any time. In a press release, Italy's Special Olympics committee said Gemma had spontaneously climbed on the bishop's chair, just to the right of Pope Francis, and remained there for the duration of the audience, despite her parents trying to call her back: Pope Francis used the occasion of the audience to deliver an address on the theme of inclusion, telling the athletes:
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