Evangelization in the Age of TikTok: The Vatican and Divine Influence on Social Media

In an unprecedented move, the Vatican organized the "Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers” in Rome last week, bringing together hundreds of priests, nuns, laypeople and influencers from the online space to discuss how the Christian message can be transmitted effectively in the age of social media. The event, presented by some as an adaptation of the Catholic Church to the "spirit of the times”, brings to the center of attention a major question: can faith go viral?

• From the pulpit to the algorithm

Father Giuseppe Fusari, a priest with a Roman collar and visible tattoos, is one of the most emblematic presences of the new generation of "digital evangelists”, informs AFP. With over 63,000 followers on Instagram, the priest from Brescia posts daily excerpts from the Gospel, interspersed with videos in which he appears with his Chihuahua. Sister Albertine, a 29-year-old nun who has become a true phenomenon on TikTok and Instagram, where she has hundreds of thousands of followers, also joins this line. According to the Italian press, her videos, in which she talks about prayer, the Bible and the spiritual life in an accessible and dynamic style, attract not only believers, but also many young people "far from the Church". "Right now, that's where people are - on the internet - and our job is to go and meet them where they are", she summarizes simply.

• A mass for likes

The event also included a mass in St. Peter's Basilica, specially dedicated to Catholic influencers. Pope Francis encouraged participants to "feed social media with Christian hope,” and Cardinal Tagle solemnly proclaimed, "The greatest influencer is God!” The speeches were filled with messages of encouragement, but also warnings against the harmful use of digital platforms, in a world where disinformation, narcissism, and online radicalization can corrupt even the best intentions.

Although the Vatican supports the new direction, there is still no clear framework for this form of evangelization. The religious influencers present in Rome have not received an official mandate, guidelines, or rules of conduct. Everything seems to be based, for now, on goodwill, charisma, and algorithm. "Is there a duration for this mission? Do we have an official mandate?” Sister Albertine asked the press. "We are discussing together how to write this new page of evangelization.”

• Beyond the Catholic Bubble

For many of the participants, online success comes precisely from the ability to step out of the "religious bubble” and communicate with people who would not normally approach a church. The comments on Sister Albertine's videos are edifying: "I am not a Christian, but your words touch me”, "Efficient, clear, human”, "Thank you for bringing back my hope”. This is perhaps the great stake of "digital evangelization”: not only keeping those inside, but recovering those lost along the way, in an increasingly secularized and religiously indifferent Europe.

The Vatican's attempt to enter the global digital conversation shows a Church that no longer wants to preach only from the pulpit, but also from the daily scroll of young people. It remains to be seen whether this form of evangelization will bring lasting conversions or will remain just a viral moment with a Christian hashtag.