Fake Archbishop Martin videos prompt warning

The Archdiocese said it had been made aware of such videos purporting to show the Archbishop talking about unlikely topics, including gardening.

“They might look very real, but they’re not him,” the Archdiocese stated on its Facebook page.

“This official Archdiocese of Wellington Facebook page is where you will find all of Archbishop Paul’s genuine videos and other content.”

The Archdiocese stated that the fake videos such as the one purporting to depict the Archbishop “are often linked to attempts to access personal information, including financial information, and can seem very convincing because of new technologies like AI. Rest assured, we won’t be asking you for such details”.

Earlier this month, a fake social media post claimed that Pope Leo XIV has been hospitalised and was under urgent medical care. The fake post showed an image of an elderly man in a hospital bed and a message claiming that “His Holiness Pope Leo XIV is currently under the care of a dedicated medical team” and requesting prayers. The post gained many thousands of reactions and shares, prompting concern among Catholics worldwide.

There was no official update from any of the Vatican’s official channels, prompting warnings that the viral message was unverified and misleading.

Pope Leo XIV has previously been the target of AI-generated and manipulated content circulating online, prompting official Vatican warnings about misinformation involving the Pontiff.

The Vatican consistently advises the faithful to rely on official sources such as Vatican News or the Holy See Press Office before sharing sensitive information regarding the Pope or the Church.

FULL STORY

Fake videos of Archbishop Paul Martin (Archdiocese of Wellington/Facebook)

Fact-Check (Catholic Connect)