Pope Leo XIV has officially embraced the digital legacy of his predecessors, inheriting the 52 million followers of the Vatican’s @Pontifex account on X (formerly Twitter) and establishing a fresh Instagram presence. This decision, confirmed by the Dicastery for Communication on May 13, 2025, marks a significant step in his papacy’s outreach strategy.
A legacy of digital evangelization
Papal social media began in 2012, when Pope Benedict XVI, then 84 years old, sent the first-ever papal tweet:
“Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart.”
His 140-character message, posted on December 12, 2012, opened the door to a new era of digital communication for the Holy See.
Pope Francis expanded this digital footprint significantly, launching the @Franciscus Instagram account on March 19, 2016, with the message “Pray for me” under a solemn image of himself in prayer.
Over his 12-year pontificate, Francis posted nearly 50,000 messages, offering near-daily reflections on peace, justice, and care for creation, with his messages reaching a staggering 27 billion views in 2020 alone.
Pope Leo XIV’s first post
On May 8, shortly after his election, Pope Leo XIV delivered his first public blessing, the Urbi et Orbi, where he extended a message of peace that set the tone for his digital presence. His first Instagram post, shared just days later, echoed this message, featuring a series of iconic images from the early days of his papacy, alongside the words:
“Peace be with you all! This is the first greeting spoken by the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd. I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, and among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world.”
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This message, which summarizes the core of his pastoral mission, signals the Pope’s intent to continue using social media as a tool for global evangelization, much like his predecessors.
Archiving the past, building the future
While the @Pontifex account on X continues as the official voice of the papacy, the Vatican has chosen a different approach for Instagram. Pope Francis’ popular @Franciscus account, which attracted over 10 million followers, will not be passed on. Instead, it will remain accessible as a commemorative archive titled Ad Memoriam on Vatican.va, preserving the digital ministry of a pope who deeply valued this form of outreach.
Pope Leo XIV’s new Instagram account, @Pontifex – Pope Leo XIV, is already 6M followers within hours of its launch, marking the beginning of a new chapter in papal communication.
The road ahead
As Pope Leo XIV steps into this digital role, he inherits a powerful global pulpit, uniquely positioned to share messages of faith, compassion, and hope with a world in search of meaning.
As the Church’s newest voice in the digital square, he follows in the footsteps of those who recognized the potential of these tools to reach hearts and minds worldwide, fulfilling the Church’s mission to share the Gospel with every generation.
