Two online videos are claiming that the Philippines’ Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle was “crowned” as the new pope following the death of Pope Francis. This is false.
Published on April 27, at least two YouTube channels spread the spurious claim which was shared by several Filipino users on other social media platforms. One of the videos bore the headline:
“Breaking: Cardinal Tagle Elected As Pope Luis I — Church Enters A New Era!”
The narrator of the 12-minute video claimed that this “news” was supposedly announced by the Vatican, proclaiming Tagle as the new pope and bearing the papal name “Pope Luis I” – to the delight of people allegedly standing vigil at St. Peter’s Square in Rome.
This is not true. The gathering of cardinals to select the new pope called the papal conclave has yet to happen.
According to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the conclave is expected to convene in the first week of May after the novena masses at St. Peter’s Basilica for the deceased pope, which started on April 27. A total of 135 cardinals are eligible to vote in the election of the new pope.
The CBCP has asked the public to refrain from campaigning for Tagle as the new Vicar of Christ and head of the Vatican, following several reports online saying the Filipino cardinal is a top contender for the position.
The false claim continues to spread this week after Pope Francis was laid to rest in a historic funeral ceremony witnessed by millions around the world, in particular Rome and Argentina, his home country.
YouTube channels History Hub (created on Nov. 7, 2023) and History Documentary Hub (May 30, 2024) published the videos with the false claims, collectively garnering over 290 online interactions and 20,000 views.
