Hoax – A viral text claims that Pope Leo XIV met privately with the Swiss Guard and gave them a spiritual gift right after his election.
Analysis
After the election of Pope Leo XIV, a text describing an alleged private meeting between the Pope and the Swiss Guard went viral on social media. According to the story, the Pope summoned the soldiers for a private gathering, shared spiritual reflections, and gifted them a prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel.
The content has circulated mainly on platforms such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), especially among Catholic groups and religious news profiles, often accompanied by messages of emotion and admiration for the supposed gesture of the new Pope. Read:
A gift from Pope Leo. Leo XIV wanted to meet alone with the Swiss Guard at the end of the day on Saturday, something that surprised the protocol governing the Pope’s activities. Meeting with the entire Swiss Guard was unthinkable, especially on the day after an election. Never before had a Pope in the Vatican asked to meet with the Swiss Guard on his first day, much less a meeting with just the guards. The Swiss Guard had no idea what this meeting would be like on the first day of a newly elected Pope. It was an impromptu meeting. In the Clementine Hall, the entire guard was lined up in silence, waiting for the Pope to arrive. There was a solemn and nervous atmosphere. The door opened and a man entered alone, dressed in white, with an expression of tiredness but also of warmth. “I wanted to see you, because you will walk with me, and I will tell you that Leo XIII ordered a prayer to be said to Saint Michael to protect the church.”
The Pope tells them that when he went out into the Square he carried with him the weight of the call. “There I felt the weight of history, and this gave me greater confidence in the obligation to proclaim the Gospel.” No one moved, aware of the moment that was being lived. He tells them not to be afraid to proclaim the Gospel: “To be Catholic today is to accept the cross.” The guards were moved, because they knew of the Pope’s vulnerability. But he came to see them despite his fatigue. His tired hands became firm fists. The Pope confesses to them: “When I was in the Sistine Chapel, at the most intense moment, I felt fear, fear not of responsibility, but fear of a world that is moving away from God.” “When I remembered the prayer of Saint Michael, I wanted to share with you that today I want us to take up a spiritual weapon.” He looked at our halberds and began to recite… “Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection […]”.
The guards listened with enthusiasm. When the prayer ended, there was a deep silence throughout the guard. The Pope approached the younger soldiers and said to them: “We are afraid of being labeled, but […] we must not be afraid. We are a church that does not hide, does not apologize for its faith, from today on, guard the church with the prayer of Saint Michael, make it part of your daily worship.” At that moment the Commander stepped forward and said: “Your Holiness, just as we swore to defend your life with ours, we will also defend the Faith with our prayers.” Pope Leo XIV blessed the weapons (halberds), his fingers touched the weapons of the first row, he walked in the middle of our ranks, asking names, what is your name? Marcel, how long have you been here? I have been here for two months […], “so we both began to serve together.” To another guard who has been there for 17 years, he says: “You have seen a lot… what advice would you give a Pope on his first day?” (I would never expect a Pope to ask me for advice)
“Trust in Your Holiness, in God first and then in us who are here.” The Pope responds: “This is exactly the advice I needed to hear today. Thank you.” Return to the center of the room A new serenity covers them. “The entire weight of the Church will fall on the shoulders of these imperfect ones,” says the Pope. “But after being with you, I feel less alone in this mission. I ask you to pray for me, just as I will pray for you. Together every day let us invoke the protection of Saint Michael over the Church and over the world.” The entire room holds its breath. I went out without fear, the Swiss Guard goes with the Pope, visible and firm, but most importantly, Christ goes with us, invisible but INVINCIBLE!
Fact-check
The viral story about a meeting between Pope Leo XIV and the Swiss Guard raises many doubts. That’s why we are fact-checking it. The questions we aim to answer are: 1) Did Pope Leo XIV ask to meet the Swiss Guard privately and offer a gift? 2) How was the text that mentions the Pope and the Guard created? 3) Are there other AI-generated fake news involving Leo XIV?
Did Pope Leo XIV ask to meet the Swiss Guard privately and offer a gift?
No. There is no official record or public mention of Pope Leo XIV holding such a meeting with the Swiss Guard, nor of the speeches and gestures described. The Vatican has not released any statement or video confirming this event, which was also not covered by Vatican News or other reliable news outlets.
How was the text that mentions the Pope and the Swiss Guard created?
The story is a fictional narrative circulating only on social media and on websites of questionable credibility. It is another case of fabricated content produced with AI tools, similar to other fake news involving Pope Leo XIV.
Are there other AI-generated fake news involving Leo XIV?
Yes. Since Pope Leo XIV’s election, several false stories involving his name have surfaced online. Among them are tales about him requesting Rosary prayers due to the war in Ukraine and the Middle East (check here), a supposed special mission assigned to Cardinal Robert Sarah (read more), and even criticism of reborn dolls (see the debunk). In short, stories like this are not new.
Conclusion
The story claiming that Pope Leo XIV met privately with the Swiss Guard and gave them a spiritual gift is another fabricated narrative created to stir emotion and engagement on social media. There is no official or journalistic confirmation of the alleged event, and the story follows a pattern seen in other AI-generated hoaxes involving the Pope.
Fake news ❌
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