The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will maintain an active presence on social media through official papal accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. The Dicastery for Communications revealed that the Pope will use the @Pontifex account on X, previously used by Pope Francis and Benedict XVI, and a new account has been created on Instagram, @Pontifex – Pope Leo XIV.
This new Instagram account is the only official account of the Holy Father on the platform, continuing the legacy of Pope Francis’ account, @Franciscus. The content published by Pope Francis on X will be archived on the Holy See’s institutional website, (link unavailable), while his Instagram content will remain accessible as a commemorative archive.
The Vatican highlighted the significance of social media in the papacy, noting that Pope Francis was highly active on these platforms, publishing around 50,000 posts during his pontificate. His messages reached a vast audience, with 27 billion views in 2020 alone. The @Pontifex account on X has 52 million followers and publishes in nine languages.