On May 8, the dean of cardinals at the Vatican announced from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica the election of American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new pope of the Catholic Church, making him the first American to hold the position. He took the name Leo XIV, succeeding the late Pope Francis.
The announcement was delivered with the famous Latin phrase “Habemus Papam” (We have a pope), as a large crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square. About an hour after white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney, the new pope addressed the world, calling for “peace and fearless dialogue” so that “we may all walk together.”
However, the historic event was quickly followed by a wave of disinformation across social media platforms. Within hours of the announcement, misleading claims about Pope Leo XIV circulated in several languages.
In response, Misbar has fact-checked and debunked multiple false claims surrounding the new pope. This article highlights some of the most prominent allegations, which falsely accused him of delivering a racist, anti-immigrant speech targeting people of color.
Social media users circulated a video clip claiming to show the new Vatican pope, Leo XIV, during his inauguration ceremony, refusing to kiss an African cardinal while kissing others who are white.
Misbar investigated the claim and found it to be misleading; the video is old and dates back to 2023. It does not...
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