FACT CHECK: Photo Of Pope Francis Wearing Rainbow Scarf Is AI Generated

A photo shared on X allegedly shows Pope Francis wearing a rainbow scarf. 

What are you thoughts on Pope Francis? pic.twitter.com/AQLttlfkpq

— •Ɛɱɱყ• (@brixwe) August 15, 2024

Verdict: False 

The photo was created with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) according to two different AI-detection apps.

Fact Check: 

Francis met with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez, on Aug. 15, the day the Catholic Church celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, according to Catholic News Agency. Sanchez mentioned in an Instagram post that they discussed climate action and the Bezos Earth Fund, the outlet reported.

An X image purportedly shows Francis wearing a scarf with a rainbow pattern. In the photo, he is accompanied on both sides by men with pink hair and who are wearing similar rainbow scarves.

This is not a genuine image, however. Uploading the image to Hive Moderation shows that it is “99.9% likely to contain AI-generated or deepfake content.” An additional AI detection app from a site called Hugging Face determined that the image is 98 percent artificial. (RELATED: No, The Pope Did Not Say ‘Eat Whatever You Want For Easter’)

Check Your Fact found no credible news reports about Francis being seen wearing a rainbow scarf.

In the past, Francis has affirmed that the Catholic Church is opposed to LGBTQ marriage, but believes same-sex couples should be protected by civil union laws, according to NBC News.

Check Your Fact reached out to a Vatican spokesperson for comment. 

This is not the first time Francis has been the subject of viral misinformation. Check Your Fact previously debunked a claim that he said Jesus was born during a census taken by King David.