If you missed seeing Pope Francis, Stephen Colbert has the next best thing

Stephen Colbert tries to recreate a papal audience — (Image credit: Late Show)

Pope Francis made public appearances in Washington, D.C., New York, and Philadelphia before flying back to Rome on Sunday night, but if you couldn't make it to any of those audiences — and really, what's your excuse? These people drove 14,000 miles — then Stephen Colbert had you covered on Friday's Late Show.

"It was hard to decide which object of worship to line up for," Colbert joked, noting that the new iPhones also drew lines in New York on Friday. "I mean, they're both pretty special, and both available in a protective case" — though he lamented that unlike the iPhone, the "Holy Father still only comes in white." But for the "many people who wanted to see the pope but weren't able to," Colbert said, he recreated the "moving experience of waving at the Holy Father" in his studio. It's a pretty cheap laugh, but the Swiss Guard outfit probably make this worth your two minutes. Peter Weber

The Week

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.