Hoax – A text about enjoying the present and living lightly was allegedly written by Pope Francis and begins with the phrase “This life will go by fast”.
Analysis
The death of Pope Francis in April 2025 triggered a wave of content on social media. Amid genuine tributes and public mourning, many rumors spread. Numerous fake news items that had circulated during his pontificate resurfaced. A report on Boatos.org compiled 30 false stories that marked his career and reappeared after his death.
Among them, a supposed reflection attributed to Pope Francis gained significant emotional traction. The text encourages not arguing, enjoying the present, using special items daily, and forgiving. This motivational and intimate language has been shared widely as if written by the Pope. Read below:
Pope Francis: This life will go by fast, don’t argue with people, don’t criticize your body so much. Don’t complain so much. Don’t lose sleep over bills. Don’t stop kissing your loved ones. Don’t worry so much about keeping the house spotless. Assets and inheritance should be earned by each person, don’t focus on accumulating wealth. Let your pets be closer. Don’t save the fancy glasses. Use your new cutlery,
Don’t save your favorite perfume—wear it just for you. Wear your favorite sneakers, repeat your favorite clothes—so what? If it’s not wrong, why not now? Why not take a little getaway? Why not pray now instead of waiting until bedtime? Why not call now? Why not forgive now? People wait for Christmas, Friday, the new year, when they have money, when love arrives, when everything is perfect… Look, perfection doesn’t exist. Humans can’t achieve it because they weren’t made to be complete here. Life is an opportunity for learning.
Fact-Check
As with other cases involving public figures, this content resurfaces strongly during moments of great attention. To verify its authenticity, we analyzed the following: 1) Did Pope Francis write a text about “this life going by fast”? 2) Did this fake news start spreading only after his death? 3) Who is the actual author of the text?
Did Pope Francis write a text about “this life going by fast”?
No, there is no official record of Pope Francis having written or read this text. No encyclical, homily, speech, or official Vatican publication features this reflection. Additionally, the tone of the text differs significantly from the Pope’s usual direct, pastoral, and theological style. The poetic and sentimental language is not typical of Vatican communications.
Did this fake news start spreading only after the death of Pope Francis?
No. This same message was already debunked in 2019 by Boatos.org, when it spread after the Pope was injured during a visit to Colombia. At the time, Francis hit his face on the Popemobile, causing concern. So, the content isn’t new and only resurfaced after his death.
Who is the author of the text that begins with “this life will go by fast”?
There’s no single, official author identified, but clear signs suggest that the text was inspired by a song. Upon analysis, it closely resembles the lyrics of “Vai Passar Rápido” by Marcela Taís. Some parts are nearly identical, indicating that someone adapted or was inspired by the song’s lyrics. It later spread out of context, falsely attributed to Pope Francis.
Conclusion
The text about enjoying life and letting go of worries was not written by Pope Francis. It is an old message inspired by a song by Marcela Taís and has been circulating since 2017. It’s just another fake news story wrongly attributed to him that continues to spread online.
Fake news ❌
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