Shortly after the Pope Leo XIV issued its wide-ranging manifesto calling for strong regulation of artificial intelligence, the Instagram meme account Saint Hoax posted a video to its more than 3 million followers about the pope’s call to “disarm” the artificial intelligence. “I love my woke dad (I’m not even Catholic)”said the text that accompanied the publication.
In another viral post, an X user referenced a common meme in response to the encyclical, writing: “Atheism coming out of my body the moment the Pope starts talking about how AI is an affront against God and the new Tower of Babel”.
That kind of reaction to León’s first encyclical, “Magnificent Humanitas” (“Magnificent humanity”), has been common on the internet since its publication last week. That enthusiasm is due, in part, to the perception—especially among young people—that few political or global leaders understand or take seriously the known and potential consequences of the rapid rise of AI. Leaders have often worked to accommodate the tech industry, citing the need for economic growth and, along the way, critics say, getting too close to wealthy CEOs.
“People have really been looking for an answer to AI”said Isabel Thurston, a 27-year-old comedian from Boston. “This was the first world leader — at least in my sphere of the world — to make an announcement of this magnitude.”
1 / 10 | This was the meeting between Pope Leo XIV and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed “efforts to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East” during a meeting at the Vatican. – The Associated Press
The first pope born in USA In history it has demonstrated a willingness to embrace aspects of contemporary culture. He was recently seen wearing Nike sneakers under his vestments and, in his encyclical, León cited the wise wizard Gandalf, from “The Lord of the Rings,” a series by Catholic author JRR Tolkien.
“It is clear that this was written by an American pope. There is a spirit that runs through this document with an emphasis on individual freedom, human happiness and human dignity,” said Robert Orsi, professor of religious studies and history at Northwestern University, about Leo’s encyclical. “At times, I thought the language really resonated with the Declaration of Independence.”
That specific kind of cultural fluency could help explain some of his viral moments as the leader of an ancient faith.
Just a few weeks earlier, a group of young people visiting the Vatican managed to get the 70-year-old pontiff to make a viral hand gesture known as the 6-7 meme on camera, a meaningless “brain rot” joke among young people. Although it is clear from the video that the pope, like most adults, does not understand what is being asked of him or its meaning, he does it anyway and receives enthusiastic cheers. A week later, he did it again while smiling and waving to the crowd from the popemobile.
The portrait that has emerged from these episodes is that of a playful figure, but also intentional. Throughout “Magnifica Humanitas,” the pontiff reiterates that it is the Church’s responsibility to address contemporary questions and challenges.
1/100 | This has been the first year of Leo XIV’s pontificate: 100 images of key moments. The historical moment when the conclave elected Leo XIV as the new pope. – ANDREJ ISAKOVIC
“Its mission has a historical scope and carries a responsibility for the way in which social relations are built,” León wrote about the Catholic Church. “She cannot be considered alien to the forces that shape society. On the contrary, the Church actively participates in the processes through which society grows and organizes itself.”
Since his election last year, León has made it his mission to converse directly with—and sometimes criticize—various aspects of society, from politics to entertainment to sports.
Pope Francis, Vatican II and other preludes
Orsi studies the relationship between Catholicism and modernity, which he says historically have often been in tension. He said that Leo’s encyclical and his papacy in general, like that of his predecessor, the Pope Francisare heavily influenced by the still-polarizing Second Vatican Council, which brought modernizing reforms to the Church more than 60 years ago.
“It speaks to the modern world with a voice from Vatican II. So it is not a voice of condemnation, but a voice of respect”Orsi said of León’s encyclical. “Pope Francis, in a sense, was the necessary prelude to this kind of encyclical. I think Francis gave strong encouragement to adopt a clear critical voice on these urgent questions.”
1 / 36 | From Pius XI to Leo XIV: the popes of the last 100 years. There have been 267 popes who have headed the Catholic Church. – Photomontage
That doesn’t mean there haven’t been detractors of León’s approach. Some criticized his decision to present his encyclical with Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic. The Vatican decided to involve the technology company as part of its decade-long effort to dialogue with Silicon Valley about the human cost of AI.
In the document, of some 42,300 words, the pontiff exhorts all “men and women of good will” not to be afraid to get their hands dirty in the “construction work” of our time.
That disposition has sometimes led to measured but very public rebukes of policies, actions and leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and the ongoing war in Iran. Some conservatives, including Vice President JD Vance, who is a convert to Catholicism, have invoked the concept of “just war” theory in response to León’s criticism.
Church teaching has long permitted “just wars”—the use of force to stop unjust aggression—as long as certain conditions are met. But Leo directly addressed this doctrine in his encyclical and called it “obsolete.” “Humanity has much more effective and capable tools to promote human life and resolve conflicts, such as dialogue, diplomacy and forgiveness,” he wrote.
From Hollywood to baseball: American culture in the Vatican
Last November, the pontiff organized a day of “World of Cinema” at the Vatican with actors and filmmakers such as Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, Gus Van Sant and Spike Lee, who gave León a personalized New York Knicks jersey with the number 14 and the name Pope Leo on the back.
“Cultural spaces, such as cinemas and theaters, are the beating hearts of our communities because they contribute to making them more human”Leon told his Hollywood audience. “The logic of algorithms tends to repeat what ‘works’, but art opens up what is possible.”
He also hasn’t been shy about his love for the Chicago White Sox, sometimes wearing baseball caps or posing with bats, the latter inspiring a sort of Leon meme subgenre. “POV: You are a priest who just asked ChatGPT to write your Sunday homily,” the Rev. Harrison Ayre posted on X alongside a photo of León holding a bat and smiling.
Shortly after “Magnifica Humanitas” was published, Thurston, who is Catholic, posted a video of herself and a friend sipping margaritas while meticulously studying and discussing printed pages of the encyclical. The video has racked up more than 3 million views on Instagram.
“One aspect that made the video go viral and that was really joyful for me was representing all the Catholics, or distant Catholics, or people interested in a close way, really celebrating what Pope Leo is saying in his encyclical”said.
Orsi said this strategy comes at a crucial time for the Catholic Church after years of accountability for its legacy of clerical sexual abuse. “I think a lot of people who walked away from the Church are now saying, ‘Wait, maybe the Church does have something to say to the modern world,’” he said.