{"id":11562,"date":"2026-06-02T15:02:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T15:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=11562"},"modified":"2026-06-02T15:02:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T15:02:12","slug":"love-my-woke-pope-why-leos-first-encyclical-went-viral-and-how-it-speaks-to-his-papal-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=11562","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Love my woke pope\u2019: Why Leo\u2019s first encyclical went viral and how it speaks to his papal approach"},"content":{"rendered":"

By KRYSTA FAURIA<\/strong><\/p>\n

LOS ANGELES (AP) \u2014 Shortly after Pope Leo XIV issued his sweeping manifesto calling for the robust regulation of artificial intelligence, the Instagram meme account Saint Hoax posted a video to its more than 3 million followers about the pope\u2019s call to \u201cdisarm\u201d AI. \u201cLove my woke pope (I\u2019m not even Catholic),\u201d the caption read.<\/p>

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In another viral post, one X user referenced a common meme in response to the encyclical, writing: \u201cThe atheism leaving my body the moment the pope starts talking about how AI is an affront to God and the new Tower of Babel.\u201d<\/p>\n

That kind of reaction to Leo\u2019s first encyclical, \u201cMagnifica Humanitas\u201d (Magnificent Humanity), has been prevalent online since its release last week. That enthusiasm is driven in part by a perception, especially among young people, that few political or global leaders grasp or take seriously the known and potential ramifications of AI\u2019s rapid rise. Leaders often have worked to accommodate the tech industry, citing the need for economic growth \u2014 and along the way, critics say, cozying up to wealthy CEOs.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople have really been looking for a response to AI,\u201d said Isabel Thurston, a 27-year-old comedian from Boston. \u201cThis was the first \u2014 at least in my sphere of the world \u2014 world leader to make an announcement to this magnitude.\u201d<\/p>\n

History\u2019s first U.S.-born pope has demonstrated a willingness to embrace aspects of contemporary culture. He was recently spotted wearing Nike sneakers under his vestments, and in his encyclical, Leo quoted the wise wizard Gandalf from the \u201cLord of the Rings,\u201d a series by Catholic author J.R.R. Tolkien.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s clear that this is written by an American pope. There\u2019s a spirit breathing through this document of an emphasis on individual freedom, on human happiness and human dignity,\u201d Robert Orsi, a professor of religious studies and history at Northwestern University, said of Leo\u2019s encyclical. \u201cAt times, I thought the language really resonates with the Declaration of Independence.\u201d<\/p>\n

This specific kind of cultural fluency may help explain some of his viral moments as the leader of the ancient faith.<\/p>

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Just weeks earlier, a group of youths visiting the Vatican coaxed the 70-year-old pontiff to do a viral hand gesture on camera known as the 6-7 meme \u2014 a meaningless \u201cbrain rot\u201d joke among young people. Though it\u2019s clear in the video that the pope, like most adults, doesn\u2019t understand what they\u2019re asking him to do or its significance, he does it anyway and is met with enthusiastic cheers. A week later, he did it again while smiling and waving to crowds from the popemobile.<\/p>\n

The portrait that has emerged from these instances is one of playfulness, but also intentionality. The pontiff reiterates throughout \u201cMagnifica Humanitas\u201d that it is the church\u2019s responsibility to engage contemporary questions and challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer mission has a historical scope and entails a responsibility for the way in which social relations are built,\u201d Leo wrote about the Catholic Church. \u201cShe cannot consider herself a stranger to the forces shaping society. On the contrary, the Church actively participates in the processes by which society grows and is organized.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since his election last year, Leo has made a point to directly converse with \u2014 and sometimes critique \u2014 various aspects of society, ranging from politics to entertainment and sports.<\/p>

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