Candles with the image of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, where the pontiff has been hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14. Social media users have spread fake images of the Pope in the hospital and false claims that the Pope had died since his hospitalization. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Andrew Medichini
Candles with the image of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, where the pontiff has been hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14. Social media users have spread fake images of the Pope in the hospital and false claims that the Pope had died since his hospitalization. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Andrew Medichini
On Feb. 14, Pope Francis was hospitalized in Rome and diagnosed with pneumonia. Since then, some social media users made false claims about the Pope's death and images seemingly showing his hospital stay spread on social media. These posts contain false information or show signs of being created with artificial intelligence (AI). At the time of publication, there was no announcement from the Vatican about the Pope's death.Â
"Rest in peace," reads the text above a photo of a smiling Pope Francis Feb. 24.Â
With more than 11,000 likes, the post misled some users into thinking the 88-year-old Pope died after his hospitalization at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli University Hospital on Feb. 14.Â
A post on the X platform, formerly Twitter, with more than 44,000 likes on Feb. 25 but the Vatican "did not announce it to the public."Â
Other images and videos spread online that seem to show the Pope , or supposedly after his pneumonia diagnosis. Â
Rating: False/digitally manipulatedÂ
According to a Feb. 27 update on the Pope's health , the Pope is still alive and "slept well" through the night.Â
"After breakfast, the Holy Father continued his treatment while (sitting) in his armchair. He has been informed of the many initiatives to pray for him, and he remains in good spirits," Vatican News reported.Â
The Pope remains on oxygen and his condition is "guarded," according to the Holy See Press office.Â
Some of the images and videos show signs they were generated with artificial intelligence, according to several online AI image detectors (although the accuracy of these detectors can vary widely, according to ).
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø ran the image of the Pope wearing an oxygen mask and a screenshot of the video of the Pope in hospital through and , which use algorithms to analyze images for traces of artificial content.Â
AI Image Detector found evidence of AI in both photos while Hive Moderation found little evidence of AI in the first photo and "likely" evidence of AI in the second.Â
The video of the Pope in a hospital bed contains signs of AI, such as unnatural movement and the appearance of the Pope having only three fingers.Â
Another sign the images, videos and "last words" are fake relates to Vatican law.Â
The apostolic constitution is the legislation that governs how the Pope is elected and what to do in the event of his death.Â
Section 30 of chapter five, part one, notes "no one is permitted to use any means whatsoever in order to photograph or film (the Pope) either on his sickbed or after death, or to record his words for subsequent reproduction."
There could be an exception made after his death, but permission needs to be granted by the office responsible for looking after church property.Â
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø found no evidence of real leaked images of the hospitalized Pope on social media.Â
Sources
Claims about Pope's death posted on Feb. 24, 2025 () and Feb. 26, 2025 ()
TikTok of Pope in hospital bed from Feb. 24, 2025 (), with quote from Pope from Feb. 20, 2025 (), with Pope wearing oxygen mask from Feb. 23, 2025 ()
Birnie, Marissa. Photos from Mark Carney event show authentic crowds; AI claims are unfounded, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø website, Feb. 20, 2025 ()Ìý
Stuart A. Thompson and Tiffany Hsu. How Easy Is It to Fool A.I.-Detection Tools?, The New York Times , June 28, 2023 ()Ìý
AI Image Detector , accessed Feb. 27, 2025 ()
Hive Moderation , accessed Feb. 27, 2025 ()
AI Image Detector results of screenshot from hospitalized Pope TikTok, Feb. 27, 2025 ()
AI Image Detector results of Pope oxygen mask image, Feb. 27, 2025 ()
Hive Moderation results of screenshot from hospitalized Pope TikTok, Feb, 27, 2025 ()
Hive Moderation results of Pope oxygen mask image, Feb. 27, 2025 ()
Pope Francis sleeps well as health shows slight improvement, Vatican News , Feb. 27, 2025 ()
Pope John Paul II, Universi Dominici Gregis constitution, Vatican , accessed Feb. 27, 2025 ()
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