News appeared on the Russian-language Internet: in November last year, the Pope declared refusal to vaccinate a mortal sin. This is what it has come to! We checked whether the Pope really said this.
“I didn’t want to touch on the topic of faith and religions, but this news from the official source of The Babylon Bee about the statement of Pope Francis blew my mind,” starts participant of the 9111 Legal Social Network forum, female psychologist Ekaterina Alikina, shared her story. Here's what she writes next:
“Pope Francis says the COVID vaccine will now be necessary to go to heaven.
November 30, 2020
Vatican City: Pope Francis said today that God has informed him of a new requirement to go to heaven. Everyone must now receive the COVID-19 vaccine before entering the pearly gates. “This is very important for the salvation of all people on earth,” Pope Francis explained.
"We know that God lets everyone into heaven because he loves us all and he doesn't really care what evil we get into in this life. But we must beware of the greatest earthly sin of all: not getting the COVID-19 vaccine. God informed me that he will not let you into heaven until you get both doses of this very safe vaccine."
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Pope Francis also said that receiving both doses of a reliable vaccine will "immediately free your deceased relatives from purgatory" and "may even shorten your stay there by half." To drive his point home, he ordered the Catholic Church to deny communion to all unvaccinated church members.”
Similar publications actually appeared on the Internet in November and December last year. These statements actively spread Facebook users.
The Pope did talk about the vaccine: for example, he encouraged believers to get vaccinated as it would help stop the pandemic. He also spoke that access to the vaccine should go first to those who are most likely to be affected, such as the poor.
However, Pope Francis did not make a statement that allegedly refusing vaccination in the Catholic Church would now be considered a mortal sin. Publication from an “official source” is valid was last November, and its translation is even correct. However, it was published on the website The Babylon Bee, which bills itself as a satirical publication writing about “Christianity, politics and everyday life.”
There were no other sources of such statements from the Pope, so it was just a joke and he didn’t actually say that.
Fake
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