Director and former artistic director of the Corfu Municipal Theatre, Varvara Douka, recounts a remarkable 1993 encounter between the legendary Greek actor Thanasis Veggos and the man who would later become Pope Leo XIV, in an article by protothema.gr.
During the filming of the movie Zoi Charisameni in Colombia, the crew met a young missionary bishop named “Bobby”—now Pope Leo XIV—who was helping people displaced by civil war and drug violence.
Living in makeshift shelters in the slums, the locals were once part of the middle class. Scenes were filmed in these impoverished areas, with Veggos portraying a man rescuing children from muddy waters, based on a script by Malvina Karali.
Veggos, known for being germophobic, struggled with the unsanitary conditions. Out of politeness, he would pretend to have stomach issues to avoid eating local meals, surviving mostly on rice. When the bishop asked about his dietary habits, assuming he was fasting due to religious reasons, Veggos went along with it rather than explaining his hygiene concerns.
Despite the hardships, a warm conversation developed between the two. Bishop Bobby, who had roots in Chicago like Douka, spoke passionately about his mission and the Church’s efforts against drugs.
Douka remembers him as friendly, vibrant, and compassionate.
“No one could have imagined,” she reflects, “that this kind-hearted man from the Colombian slums would one day stand on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, blessing the crowds as Pope.”
Source: protothema.gr
