Pope Leo XIV has officially launched his Instagram account, gaining instant global attention with his first post shared under the handle @pontifex.
His inaugural post features a photo from his first public address, the traditional Urbi et Orbi, shortly after he was elected by the College of Cardinals to lead the Catholic Church.
As of writing, the Pope’s Instagram account has already reached 12.4 million followers, reflecting massive interest from users around the world. Social media users were quick to react, with many sharing and commenting on the historic update.
Before becoming Pope, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, was already active on social media. His last post on X (formerly Twitter) was in April, and his personal account currently has nearly 600,000 followers.
Meanwhile, the X account of the late Pope Francis (@Pontifex), which amassed 18.3 million followers, has now been archived. His Instagram account @franciscus, with 10.4 million followers, has also been archived following his death.
The launch marks a new digital chapter for the Vatican, as Pope Leo XIV is expected to continue engaging Catholics worldwide through online platforms. No announcement has been made yet regarding the use of other social media channels.
