Pope Leo XIV’s New Digital Presence
Vatican City recently announced that Pope Leo XIV will actively engage with the Catholic community on social media platforms like X and Instagram. This marks a continuation of the Vatican’s efforts to connect with followers worldwide through digital means.
Before his election as the first US pope, Robert Prevost was an active user of X, formerly known as Twitter. He openly addressed challenging political topics on his personal account, showing no hesitation in expressing his views.
Now, as the pontiff, Pope Leo XIV will take over the official @Pontifex accounts on X, which were previously managed by his predecessors. These accounts are published in nine languages—English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Polish, Arabic, and Latin—and boast a combined following of 52 million.
On Instagram, the pope’s official presence is under the handle @Pontifex – Pope Leo XIV. According to a Vatican statement, “The Holy Father Leo XIV has chosen to maintain an active social media presence through the official papal accounts on X and Instagram.” This highlights the importance Pope Leo XIV places on digital communication.
Official Papal Accounts and Their Reach
Pope Leo XIV inherits a significant digital legacy. The @Pontifex account on X was first created by Pope Benedict XVI in December 2012, making him the first pontiff to embrace social media. Later, Pope Francis expanded the Vatican’s digital footprint by launching the official Instagram account @Franciscus in March 2016.
Over twelve years, the Vatican published around 50,000 posts through these channels. Notably, during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, interaction with Pope Francis’s messages peaked, reaching 27 billion views. Now, the content from Francis’s accounts has been archived, making way for Pope Leo XIV’s fresh voice.
What to Expect from Pope Leo XIV’s Posts
While Robert Prevost’s personal social media history included sharp political commentary—such as criticizing US immigration policies and calling for racial justice—his papal communications are expected to be more traditional. Following the example set by Pope Francis, his posts will likely focus on sharing prayers, homilies, and spiritual reflections rather than controversial topics.
This approach aligns with the Vatican’s broader goal of using social media to inspire and unite the faithful worldwide. As Pope Leo XIV takes up this digital mantle, followers can anticipate a steady stream of uplifting and thoughtful messages.
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