History’s first American pope, Leo XIV, has made his social media debut by personally posting on Instagram, marking a new era of papal communication in the digital age.
On Tuesday, the new pontiff took control of the Vatican’s official social media accounts, with his first post on @Pontifex featuring a photo carousel of his early days in office and a caption echoing his inaugural message: “Peace be with you all!”
The Vatican confirmed that posts from Pope Francis’ 12-year tenure are being archived, while Pope Leo XIV steps into the global digital pulpit with 52 million followers across nine language accounts. However, his X (formerly Twitter) profile remained inactive as of Tuesday afternoon.
This move marks a shift in tone and engagement, as Pope Leo XIV – formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost – is known for his hands-on communication style.
His revived personal X account, dormant since mid-2023, recently reemerged with commentary on global affairs, including critiques of former U.S. administration migration policies and remarks by current Vice President JD Vance.
As the Vatican transitions from Pope Francis to a more digitally fluent Leo XIV, the Church signals a renewed focus on connecting with younger generations.
The pope has already identified artificial intelligence as a defining challenge of the era and is expected to leverage modern platforms to shape dialogue on ethics, peace, and global responsibility.
