The claim
A viral photo shows Pope Francis holding a rainbow cross, which is interpreted as support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Our conclusion
The image is real, but interpreting it as support for the LGBTQ+ community is misleading. The cross was a gift from the Latin American Youth Ministry and represents different regions of Latin America.
In the world of social media, a picture can tell a thousand words, but not always the truth. This is what happened with photos of Pope Francis that show him with a rainbow cross. These images sparked heated debates online as many interpreted them as the Pope's support for the LGBTQ+ community. But as is often the case on the Internet, the picture shared does not correspond to the whole truth.
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The origin of the rainbow cross
The controversial photo of Pope Francis was taken in 2018 during the 15th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops. It shows him with a colorful cross around his neck, a gift from the Latin American Youth Ministry. Each color of the cross symbolizes a different region of Latin America - green for Mexico and Central America, yellow for the Caribbean. This is significantly different from the well-known six-color rainbow flag of the LGBTQ+ community.
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Pope Francis' stance on the LGBTQ+ community
Pope Francis has actually taken a more conciliatory tone towards LGBTQ+ people during his time in office. He mentioned the possibility of blessing same-sex unions and emphasized that the Catholic Church is a place for everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community. These statements are important, but represent a personal stance and not necessarily a change in church teaching.
Misinformation and its effects
The circulation of the image of Pope Francis with the colorful cross is not the first time that social media has been used to spread misinformation about him. Similar misinformation, such as the claim that the Pope wears a cross with LGBTQ+ colors, has been shared in the past. Such misinformation can lead to misunderstandings and confusion about the positions of the Pope and the Catholic Church.
Conclusion
The photo of Pope Francis holding a colorful cross is real, but interpreting it as a symbol of LGBTQ+ support is wrong. Rather, the cross symbolizes different regions of Latin America. This clarification highlights the need for fact-checking in the age of social media to avoid misinformation and misunderstandings.
Source: euronews
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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )