Pope Leo XIV Welcomes Digital Missionaries

Pope Leo XIV received an enthusiastic welcome at the Vatican's festival of Catholic influencers on Tuesday, applauding priests, nuns, and faithful individuals who use social media to share the Catholic faith. Addressing hundreds of influencers at St. Peter's Basilica, he emphasized maintaining human relations amidst the rise of digital ecosystems and artificial intelligence.

The event coincides with a Holy Year celebration for "digital missionaries," as part of a weeklong Jubilee for young people. The pope interacted warmly with the young attendees, posing for selfies while advising them to prioritize real relationships over digital clickbait and stressing the importance of discerning truthful content in the age of fake news.

Cardinal Antonio Tagle urged influencers to steer clear of manipulative or deceptive content while using their platforms. The gathering in Rome resembled a scaled-down World Youth Day, featuring a mix of religious celebrants and youthful pilgrims participating in the Holy Year festivities, culminating this weekend with a vigil and Mass.

(With inputs from agencies.)