This week: Our photo editor revisits a historic trip by the late Pope Francis. Plus, baby animals cuddling with their moms, and guess who made these mysterious ocean gemstones?

PHOTOGRAPH BY MOISES SAMAN

Moises Saman is a photographer who looks to honor, in his words, “the endurance, the dignity, and the complexity that exists even in the more difficult circumstances.” So, when I heard about his recent Pulitzer Prize win, I wasn’t surprised.

Above is a favorite of mine: It shows the people in the Iraqi town of Qaraqosh, which is predominantly Christian, marching through the streets in celebration days before a historic visit by the late Pope Francis. Saman’s upbringing has given him a “deep sense of what it means to exist on the margins” and strives to seek connection with his subjects and capture their reality, a testament to the empathy and expertise he brings to every story. 

—Samantha Clark, Managing Photo Editor 

See more photos from Moises Saman’s trip here.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY  ANDERS HALLAN

These tiny candy-colored animals protect coral reefs—and look like gemstones. What are they?   

A. Sea urchins
B. Sea snails
C. Limpets
D. None of the above 

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOEL SARTORE

For those of you celebrating Mother’s Day, we have something for you. Above is a baby Bornean orangutan named Aurora with her adoptive mother, Cheyenne (a Bornean/Sumatran cross). But Cheyenne isn’t the only mother in the animal kingdom—see more photos here.   

BEFORE YOU GO: This Alaska volcano might erupt soon.

Thanks for reading today’s newsletter, which was edited and curated by Jennifer Baik, Melati Maupin, and James Wellford. It was produced by Amanda Williams-Bryant Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here to catch next week’s Photo of the Week newsletter.