Vatican officials are, per a report that should make realists happy, engaging in investigatory activities after the official Instagram account of Pope Francis apparently liked a photo from model and Twitch streamer Natalia Garibotto.
Per the Catholic News Agency, the photo was unliked on Nov. 14, though the exact date of the original like isn't clear. Last week, however, the like was reported by a number of outlets and promptly received a variety of responses from Garibotto, who—in one of her subsequently Pope-related tweets—joked that her entry into the supernatural afterlife space commonly referred to as "heaven" was now a certainty.
The CNA report cites sources "close to" the press office for the Vatican as having explained that social media profiles for the pope are operated by a team. As of this week, CNA added, an "internal investigation" remains ongoing as part of a presumed effort to figure out who was responsible for the Instagram like. The liked photo from Garibotto's account was first shared on Oct. 5.
For what it's worth, which is arguably nothing, the pope account in question currently follows zero people.
Garibotto, meanwhile, has continued to periodically post about the reported pope like on social media. And in an interview with Tom Scibelli last week, joked that her mother "may hate my ass pics" but at least the pope likes them.
