Rumor – White doves appeared in the Vatican sky after Pope Francis’ funeral in a phenomenon considered unusual.
Analysis
After Pope Francis’ funeral, a video began circulating on social media showing hundreds of birds flying over St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. The impressive scene was interpreted by many as a spiritual phenomenon, representing nature’s farewell to the pontiff.
The content accompanying the video reinforces this narrative by stating that hundreds of white doves and seagulls appeared in the sky shortly after Francis’ coffin was closed, describing the event as “unusual” for the region. See the circulating text:
Impressive! After the end of Pope Francis’ funeral, the Vatican sky was filled with white doves. After the funeral and the closing of his coffin, an unusual event drew attention in the Vatican: hundreds of white doves and seagulls appeared in the skies of St. Peter’s Square during the night of Friday (25).
This type of phenomenon is considered unusual, as these birds usually do not fly at night in the region. Many faithful interpreted the scene as nature’s farewell to the Holy Father, reinforcing the emotional and spiritual atmosphere that marked the day. HOW STRONG!
Fact-check
The video indeed shows birds flying over St. Peter’s Square after Pope Francis’ funeral, but the viralized content contains inaccurate information. Let’s analyze the three main questions: 1) Is the video of the birds in the Vatican after Pope Francis’ funeral real? 2) Are the birds in the Vatican video white doves and is this unusual? 3) Is there confirmation that the phenomenon was a “farewell” to Pope Francis?
Is the video of the birds in the Vatican after Pope Francis’ funeral real?
Although there was initially some doubt about whether it could be fake, Spain’s Newtral website confirmed the authenticity of the material. The recording was posted by the @romeing_magazine account on TikTok, which frequently shares real footage from Rome. Therefore, although the video has no official connection to the Vatican, it does depict authentic bird activity that night.
Are the birds in the Vatican video white doves and is this unusual?
No. The content claims they are white doves, but image analysis shows that most of the birds are actually seagulls. The presence of these birds in the Vatican, especially at night, is not as unusual as suggested. According to reports and images such as this Instagram post, it is common to see seagulls flying over Rome at night, especially near the Tiber River and St. Peter’s Square.
Is there confirmation that the phenomenon was a “farewell” to Pope Francis?
There is no evidence that the birds’ flight was a spiritual “farewell” to Pope Francis. The faithful’s emotional interpretation is understandable given the atmosphere of mourning, but there is no evidence linking the birds’ behavior directly to the funeral. Scientifically, the birds’ behavior can be explained by factors like lights, human activity, and noises, which are common at large events like a papal funeral.
Conclusion
Although the video of birds flying over St. Peter’s Square after Pope Francis’ funeral is real, the circulating content exaggerates several aspects of the episode. The birds were not white doves but seagulls, the phenomenon is not considered unusual for the region, and there is no proof that the event was a spiritual “farewell” from the pontiff.
Exaggerated 🗣️
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