The Archdiocese of Washington is getting pretty pumped for Pope Francis’s Washington, D.C. visit today, and what better way to share the excitement than to post a video about it on YouTube?
Answer: Post a video on YouTube depicting the Pope’s visit entirely in Legos.
That’s right, the Archdiocese posted a series of “educational, humorous” videos on YouTube, according to WTOP News, to encourage viewers to learn more about the Catholic faith in light of the Pope’s high-profile U.S. tour.
The first video, titled “Interrogation Style,” features Father Mario Majano of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Takoma Park, MD. Father Majano “interrogates” teens and young adults on the Pope’s impending visit, all while spoofing a television crime show interrogation scene.
The second video, titled “Priest on the Street,” stars Father Michael Paris of the University of Maryland’s Catholic Student Center. Father Paris pounds the pavement in D.C. while toting a cardboard cutout of Pope Francis and asking pedestrians what they hope the Holy Father will tell Congress during his visit.
And, saving the best for last, the Diocese posted “5 Things to Prepare for Pope Francis’ Visit to DC.” The video is voiced by Father Matthew Fish and is friendly and informal, but the primary reason this video reached peak levels of awesomeness is because it’s shot entirely using Legos.
Actually, the Archdiocese of Washington isn’t the only group to Lego-ize the Pope. Earlier this month, Father Bob Simon of the St. Catherine of Siena Church in Moscow, Pennsylvania decided to build a replica of the St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square entirely in Legos in anticipation of the Pope’s Philly visit.
Although Father Simon didn’t count how many Lego bricks he used to made the model, according to TIME, he estimates that he used around half a million.
This sort of marketing may seem a bit bizarre for religious groups, but using visual content is actually one of the most effective ways that businesses and organizations can reach out to people. In fact, online content videos get approximately 50 billion views per month, making this form of digital content the most popular in all age groups.
And let’s be honest, Legos may be marketed to kids “five and up,” but no one ever really outgrows their love of Legos.
If you happen to be in D.C., Philly, or New York City during the next week, you may very well have the opportunity to see Pope Francis.
But if not, the Archdiocese of Washington’s YouTube channel is a great substitution.