A popular model, Natalia Garibotto, recently honored the late Pope Francis, who had liked one of her controversial photos on Instagram five years ago. The post, captioned “I can teach you a thing or two,” garnered attention in October 2020 and was unliked on November 14, prompting an investigation by the Catholic Church in collaboration with Instagram.
Natalia, known for her sizable following of over 2.4 million users, humorously remarked on the incident, joking that while her mother disapproved of her photos, the Pope appreciated them. The Vatican clarified that the like did not originate from the Holy See and suggested a potential employee error or a hacking incident involving the pontiff’s account.
In light of Pope Francis’s recent passing, Natalia expressed her gratitude for the Pope’s impact on her global reach, referring to him as a legendary figure. She extended her condolences, saying, “Rest in Paradise, my friend,” acknowledging his human side and the profound influence he had on her personal growth.
Despite having a massive following of 18 million on social media, Pope Francis was known for not directly posting his messages online. Instead, he approved tweets, leaving the communications department responsible for managing his account activities. Robert Mickens, an editor at La Croix, emphasized the Pope’s distinct approach to social media compared to other world leaders like Donald Trump, highlighting his limited involvement in online interactions.
The unique nature of Pope Francis’s online presence reflected his strategic use of social media to convey messages and engage with his audience, distinguishing him as a prominent figure in the digital sphere.