Vatican enlists ‘hot priests' to save faith
The event kicks off on Monday in Rome and will bring together over 1,000 participants, including clergy, friars, and lay digital communicators. The Vatican is hoping to modernize outreach in the face of growing secularism, particularly in Europe.
The guests include several priests who have gained followings not only for their religious messages but also for their appearance and online presence – a combination that has earned them the informal nickname 'hot priests,' as seen in reports by The Telegraph and The Guardian.
Among them is Father Giuseppe Fusari, a 58-year-old tattooed bodybuilder and art historian from Brescia with more than 60,000 Instagram followers. His posts often feature a blend of gym photos, scripture, and personal reflections. 'I am convinced that social media is one way to attract people,' Fusari told The Telegraph.
A post shared by Giuseppe Fusari (@art.priest2023)
Father Cosimo Schena, 46, posts spiritual poetry and photos with his rescue dog Storm to an audience of over 450,000. His online activity reportedly helped double attendance at his parish.
A post shared by Don Cosimo Schena (@doncosimoschena)
Father Ambrogio Mazza, 34, shares guitar sessions, brief sermons, and scenes from daily life with over 460,000 followers across both TikTok and Instagram.
Публикация от Don Ambrogio Mazzai (@amb.mzz9)
The Vatican has not publicly addressed the 'hot priest' label, but officials say the goal is to equip clergy for meaningful engagement online. The event, organized by the Dicastery for Communication, includes training on content production, digital ethics, and communicating doctrine on social media.
The summit precedes the larger Jubilee of Youth gathering in early August and continues a digital strategy launched under Pope Francis and maintained by Pope Leo XIV.
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Russia Today
5 days ago
- Russia Today
Vatican enlists ‘hot priests' to save faith
The Vatican has invited several influencers and missionaries, referred to as 'hot priests' by fans and media, to an upcoming digital evangelism summit in a bid to reach younger audiences and address declining church attendance. The event kicks off on Monday in Rome and will bring together over 1,000 participants, including clergy, friars, and lay digital communicators. The Vatican is hoping to modernize outreach in the face of growing secularism, particularly in Europe. The guests include several priests who have gained followings not only for their religious messages but also for their appearance and online presence – a combination that has earned them the informal nickname 'hot priests,' as seen in reports by The Telegraph and The Guardian. Among them is Father Giuseppe Fusari, a 58-year-old tattooed bodybuilder and art historian from Brescia with more than 60,000 Instagram followers. His posts often feature a blend of gym photos, scripture, and personal reflections. 'I am convinced that social media is one way to attract people,' Fusari told The Telegraph. A post shared by Giuseppe Fusari (@ Father Cosimo Schena, 46, posts spiritual poetry and photos with his rescue dog Storm to an audience of over 450,000. His online activity reportedly helped double attendance at his parish. A post shared by Don Cosimo Schena (@doncosimoschena) Father Ambrogio Mazza, 34, shares guitar sessions, brief sermons, and scenes from daily life with over 460,000 followers across both TikTok and Instagram. Публикация от Don Ambrogio Mazzai (@ The Vatican has not publicly addressed the 'hot priest' label, but officials say the goal is to equip clergy for meaningful engagement online. The event, organized by the Dicastery for Communication, includes training on content production, digital ethics, and communicating doctrine on social media. The summit precedes the larger Jubilee of Youth gathering in early August and continues a digital strategy launched under Pope Francis and maintained by Pope Leo XIV.
Russia Today
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- Russia Today
Premier League star probed for liking anti-LGBTQ video
German police have launched a probe into a Premier League soccer star over allegations he liked an AI video depicting violence at a gay pride parade, Bild has reported. The video reportedly shows a car crashing into a crowd at a pride march, accompanied by text referencing a game scenario in Grand Theft Auto 6. An openly bisexual football referee and content creator, Pascal Kaiser, has filed charges of incitement of hatred against the video creators and Fulham and former Germany goalkeeper Bernd Leno for liking it, the outlet reported last week. 'It is enough that such disgusting videos are circulating. The fact that someone like Leno spreads them by liking and thus drawing attention to them is, in my opinion, a further scandal,' Pascal claimed. Screenshots show Leno's verified Instagram account, which has around 810,000 followers, registering a 'Like' for the video. He later removed the like before the clip was deleted from the platform. According to the outlet, Kaiser first reached out to Leno in a private message, asking why a national player would like such content, but reports indicate Leno blocked him instead. He then encouraged supporters to post rainbow flag emojis on Leno's feed. The goalkeeper reportedly disabled comments in response. 'We can confirm the complaint in this case and that State Security has taken over the investigation,' a police spokesperson told Bild. Leno's agency, fair-sport GmbH, issued a statement via the outlet, saying: 'Bernd is a cosmopolitan person. He distances himself from the video, which he never knowingly liked. He will hire a lawyer and request access to the files.' Leno, 33, currently plays for Fulham in the English premier league and earned nine caps for Germany, most recently appearing against Liechtenstein in 2021.
Russia Today
23-07-2025
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Premier league soccer star investigated for ‘liking' AI video
German police have launched a probe into a premier league soccer star over allegations he liked an AI video depicting violence at a gay pride parade, Bild has reported. The video reportedly shows a car crashing into a crowd at a pride march, accompanied by text referencing a game scenario in Grand Theft Auto 6. An openly bisexual football referee and content creator, Pascal Kaiser, has filed charges of incitement of hatred against the video creators and Fulham and former Germany goalkeeper Bernd Leno for liking it, the outlet reported last week. 'It is enough that such disgusting videos are circulating. The fact that someone like Leno spreads them by liking and thus drawing attention to them is, in my opinion, a further scandal,' Pascal claimed. Screenshots show Leno's verified Instagram account, which has around 810,000 followers, registering a 'Like' for the video. He later removed the like before the clip was deleted from the platform. According to the outlet, Kaiser first reached out to Leno in a private message, asking why a national player would like such content, but reports indicate Leno blocked him instead. He then encouraged supporters to post rainbow flag emojis on Leno's feed. The goalkeeper reportedly disabled comments in response. 'We can confirm the complaint in this case and that State Security has taken over the investigation,' a police spokesperson told Bild. Leno's agency, fair-sport GmbH, issued a statement via the outlet, saying: 'Bernd is a cosmopolitan person. He distances himself from the video, which he never knowingly liked. He will hire a lawyer and request access to the files.' Leno, 33, currently plays for Fulham in the English premier league and earned nine caps for Germany, most recently appearing against Liechtenstein in 2021.
