Pope Leo XIV has officially assumed control of the Vatican’s social media platforms, beginning with a post on Instagram this Tuesday. Repeating the first words he offered to the public as pontiff, he wrote: “Peace be with you all!” The post, shared via the @Pontifex handle, included a series of images capturing the early moments of his historic papacy — the first led by an American.
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The Vatican confirmed that posts from Pope Francis’ twelve-year tenure are being archived. On X (formerly Twitter), the updated @Pontifex account did not appear to be active at the time of writing. Originally launched in 2012 during Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate, the handle now operates in nine languages, reaching a combined audience of over 52 million followers.
Traditionally, popes have not authored the posts themselves. The content is managed by Vatican officials, ensuring consistency and messaging. Before becoming pope, Cardinal Robert Prevost maintained an X account dating back to 2011. Though it had remained inactive since July 2023, it was recently revived, featuring critiques of former President Trump’s immigration policies and remarks by Vice President JD Vance.
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