The Vatican in the Post-Media Era: Communication Management During Pope Francis’ Health Crisis

Abstract

This research analyses the communicative management of the Holy See during Pope Francis’s hospitalization in 2025 due to a respiratory infection. The study is framed within the post-media public sphere, characterized by disintermediation and the proliferation of information disorders such as fake news. In this context, crisis communication becomes essential for reputation preservation. Pope Francis’s pontificate, marked by his direct style and openness, has established the foundations for exemplary communication, in contrast to the historical opacity surrounding papal health. The objective was to identify how proactivity, transparency, and message centralization served to control the narrative and neutralize misinformation and disinformation. A 38-day case study was conducted, analyzing publications by Vatican correspondent Eva Fernández, medical bulletins, and Telegram messages. Additionally, the Talkwalker tool was used to map key actors on Spanish social networks (X and YouTube). The results show that the Vatican implemented a consistent and transparent communication strategy, issuing daily messages to accredited journalists and medical bulletins, channeling information through Vatican correspondents to ensure credibility. Thanks to that strategy, it was possible to protect the image of the Pontiff and the institutional credibility of the Holy See. Although this strategy proved effective in traditional media, social media analysis revealed a remarkable disintermediation, where general-interest outlets did not lead the conversation, but rather users without any editorial filter.