Pope slams 'obsession with appearance' on social media
BUENOS AIRES: Pope Leo XIV warned young people Tuesday not to be obsessed with looks or lie on social media to win popularity or approval from others.
Pope Leo XIV cautioned young people on Tuesday against being fixated on physical appearance or deceiving social media followers to gain popularity or approval. The 71-year-old leader of the Catholic Church delivered a rousing speech to clergy in Cordoba, where he vowed to maintain his zeal despite age and physical limitations, vowing that God's power will never wane.
After undergoing surgery for lung cancer, Pope Leo refused to postpone his 12-day Latin America tour, which included stops in Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. In a candlelit youth vigil attended by 1.3 million Argentines, the Pope warned against idolizing success, money, appearance, or pleasure, stating that such pursuits can ultimately enslave individuals.
He urged the crowd to resist the allure of pleasures like pornography and drugs. The message resonated with a generation raised in the age of social media, where concerns about image and body criticism are prevalent. The Pope's trip to Argentina, his birthplace, is seen as a homecoming, as he previously spent nearly two decades as a missionary in Peru.
The Pope referenced his predecessor Francis, hoping Argentine priests would honor the pontiff's memory by fostering vibrant communities of faith amid a decline in Catholicism in Argentina, where 56% of adults identify as Catholic, down from 71% a decade ago.
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