Report and Analysis by Br. Alexis Bugnolo
Rome, 7:15 PM, Sunday, March 16, 2025: Due to the immense interest in having some proof of life, regarding Pope Francis, following Cardinal Grech’s Letter to all the Bishops in the world, ordering a change in the constitution of the Church during the next 3 years, the Vatican has released a photo of Pope Francis, allegedly in the chapel next to his room, this morning, Sunday, March 16, 2025, as “proof of life”.
The only problem is, that it appears by all measures to be an AI Generated image, as one can see from examining the right hand of the pope, which is extremely deformed and only has 2 fingers! Click image to expand!
The photo was released to the press as early as 6:48 PM Sunday night, as can be discerned from the website above.
The speculation and theories about what is going on at Gemelli Hospital will now certainly explode! Do they really think the general public is that stupid? — Also, no claim as to the exact date of this photo is made. The photo, published in the above article by AdnKronos, entitled, “Pope Francis, first photograph since in hospital”, is attributed to Sala Stampa Vaticana, not Vatican News, which in its official press release this morning has made no such claim:
UPDATE as of 1 A. M., March 17, 2025:
Later that same yesterday evening, in a post backdated to 7PM, Vatican News published a story affirming the photo is released by the Vatican Itself, but with the AI Image cut, so that the malformed fake hand cannot be seen. THIS IS NOW OBVIOUSLY A COVERUP!
In this Italian Press release it is claimed that the photograph is of Pope Francis in the chapel near his room, sitting in a wheel chair, and praying, after concelebrating Mass. The release also expressly denies that ayone has seen pope Francis other than his medical team in nearly a month, even though it is claimed elsewhere that Cardinal Parolin and his undersecretary have visited him weekly. — In addition to the obvious AI generated hand, which is grotesque, the photo does not seem realistic for a man wearing liturgical vestments, in a wheel chair, since the Alb in no way shows a wheel chair, and is crumpled on the shoulders in an unnatural manner. These discrepancies fit only one explanation, that the photo is AI generated or modified. — Click the image to read the original Italian, or HERE to read an English translation.
CONCLUSION
There is no honest reason to publish a fake photograph, unless one intends to deceive. So it is only reasonable, in the wake of this publication of an AI generated image of Pope Francis, to hold that Pope Francis is either so gravely incapacitated and bed ridden that Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, does not want to excessively worry the Faithful — and this is the most polite way to see it — or that Pope Francis is already dead or in a coma, on account of his double choking incident on March 3, 2025 — and this is the more realistic interpretation, seeing that Cardinal Parolin is known to be canvassing for votes to be the next pope, and is having some difficulty achieving this.
UPDATES to this Article:
March 17, 2025: Vatican News reverses, replies directly to Doubts of FromRome.info
March 18, 2025: ITALY: The Spin Doctors descend upon the “fake” photo of Pope Francis
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Traduction française :
Dernière minute : LE VATICAN PUBLIE UNE IMAGE DU PAPE GÉNÉRÉE PAR L’IA, COMME « PREUVE DE VIE »
https://www.homelie.biz/2025/03/derniere-minute-le-vatican-publie-une-image-du-pape-generee-par-l-ia-comme-preuve-de-vie.html
Now on Vatican News
EN – 16 March 2025, 19:14
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-03/pope-concelebrates-mass-in-private-chapel-of-gemelli-hospital.html
IT – 16 marzo 2025, 19:00
https://www.vaticannews.va/it/papa/news/2025-03/papa-francesco-aggiornamento-salute-gemelli-16-marzo-2025.html
Undoubtedly, this image is made using an “AI” text-to-image generation tool – and not by a skilled operator of such tools. The lens distortion (field of view or focal length) is clearly different between the background and the man (superimposed upon a real background image). Also, the lighting is quite different on the man’s head and clothes compared to the background. Lastly, the folds in the fabric under the hand are physically impossible. This in addition to what you have already pointed out.
– What level of lies and deception have we come to, when images like this are published as if they are photos of the Pope?! Truly, the world deserves a chastisement by fire.
Pope F1 hand looks crippled. All other photos of his hands do not look that way.
All of the Hoopla has calmed down about him being at deaths door.