Pope Francis Health Sparks Conspiracy Theories Amid Transparency Efforts

As Pope Francis battles a complex lung infection, rumors and conspiracy theories about the pontiff's health proliferate, challenging the Vatican's efforts at transparency.

On Tuesday night, outside the hospital in Rome where Pope Francis is undergoing treatment for a serious lung infection, an individual known as the 8th King of Rome captured attention with an unusual stunt. This self-identified “trash influencer,” whose real name is Simone Basile, donned a wig and a surgical mask to sneak into the hospital, claiming to unveil a supposed cover-up: that the pope was not really there at all.

Basile is among many Italians spreading unfounded speculation on social media—including Telegram and WhatsApp—concerning the health of the 86-year-old pontiff. Some have gone as far as to assert that Pope Francis has passed away and that a hidden network within the Vatican is suppressing the news. Roman Catholic cardinals, meanwhile, have called for the community to "free ourselves from much fake news" regarding the pope's health. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi remarked, “They say we, the Roman Curia, keep Francis frozen so that we can do our scheming.”

Despite the Vatican's move towards a more open communication strategy, including daily updates on the pope's health progress—sometimes detailing graphic information—the conspiracy theories continue to thrive. Officials have been forced to counteract this misinformation that has spread from online platforms to everyday conversations in bars and locker rooms.

Even as the Vatican reports improvements in the pope's health and offers visual and auditory proofs, doubts persist. The established reputation of the Vatican as a place shrouded in mystery, combined with a growing public skepticism about information received, has ensured that fervent speculation continues unabated.