LGBTQ+ flags, 'wokeness' and sexual abuse coverups: The misinformation already targeting the pope

One week into his papacy, Pope Leo XIV has already recovered himself successful nan mediate of aggregate mendacious narratives, overmuch for illustration Pope Francis earlier him.

A societal media post, for example, claims that an attached video shows nan caller pontiff deliberately snubbing and turning distant from nan LGBTQ rainbow emblem arsenic he greets onlookers astatine nan Vatican.

However, nan emblem successful nan video isn't nan LGBTQ emblem — it's nan Italian bid flag, first utilized successful 1961, which predates nan LGBTQ flag.

We tin spot that nan lettering connected nan flag, while backmost to front, says "Pace", nan Italian connection for "Peace", and there's nary denotation that Pope Leo purposely turned distant from it arsenic he approached.

The original video tin beryllium recovered connected nan Vatican's charismatic YouTube channel, which says that nan arena was an assemblage betwixt nan bishop of Rome and media professionals connected 12 May.

Another online rumour suggests that nan Pope urged group to beryllium "woke" successful a dream he delivered astatine an unspecified time.

"Woke intends awakened by compassion, guided by truth, humbled by grace," Pope Leo allegedly said. "Be awake, beryllium loving, beryllium woke."

However, there's nary grounds he ever made these comments. A Google hunt yields neither applicable reporting nor charismatic announcements from nan Vatican, and different fact-checkers person since reported that nan image's original creator admitted to its fabrication.

There's been speculation complete really Pope Leo will reside LGBTQ+ issues and different topics perceived arsenic "woke", aft nan precocious Pope Francis was wide touted for his kinder attack to nan LGBTQ+ organization compared to his predecessors, his support for immigrants and nan poor, and his comments connected nan ambiance crisis.

Many are hoping that nan caller pontiff will proceed to nudge nan Catholic Church further near erstwhile it comes to societal issues, pursuing successful nan what galore saw arsenic nan much wide bequest of Pope Francis.

A much vulnerable declare alleges that Pope Leo covered up a bid of intersexual maltreatment cases committed by a Peruvian leader successful 2004, and that he recovered retired and grounded to analyse them successful 2022 while he was serving arsenic nan bishop of Chiclayo.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, arsenic nan pope was past known, was besides accused of covering up different lawsuit of intersexual maltreatment by a leader successful Chicago. Yet nan Vatican powerfully denies each of these claims.

Spanish outlet El País reportsthat nan Holy See's Dicastery for nan Doctrine of nan Faith, successful complaint of belief subject successful nan Catholic Church, has afloat investigated nan matter and recovered Pope Leo's behaviour "impeccable".

It besides reported that sources adjacent to nan matter noted that it was suspicious that nan damaging remarks emerged conscionable earlier nan conclave that elected Prevost arsenic Pope Leo.

Pedro Salinas, a Peruvian journalist who has extensively researched intersexual maltreatment accusations successful nan Catholic Church, has besides recovered that nan allegations against nan caller pontiff are false.

"There's nary documentary grounds aliases coagulated testimonies pointing to Pope Leo," he said.