Pope Leo XIV marked the beginning of his digital presence as Pontiff by publishing his first message on the social network X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday. In his message, he delivered a universal message of hope and reconciliation, quoting the risen Christ’s greeting: “Peace be with you all!” The Pope expressed his desire for this greeting of peace to enter the hearts of all people, reach families, and spread globally.
In his second message, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the value of Eastern traditions within the universal Church, referencing his audience with the faithful of the Eastern Churches. He emphasized the importance of divine mercy and the significance of welcoming grace.
The @Pontifex account, launched in December 2012 by Benedict XVI, has been used by the last three pontiffs as a key tool for communicating brief messages with global reach. Pope Leo XIV’s message was shared in nine languages, including Latin, and has garnered significant attention worldwide.
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV’s official Instagram account surpassed one million followers in record time, just 6 hours and 29 minutes after the official announcement of its activation. This reflects the intense global attention surrounding the start of the new pontificate. The digital profiles of Pope Leo XIV are managed by the Dicastery for Communication in coordination with the Secretariat of State.