On May 14, a Facebook page titled “Ekumenizm Religia Antixrista” published a photo of the newly elected Pope, claiming that he was making a satanic gesture. Specifically, in the photo, Leo XIV’s right hand shows the thumb, index finger, and pinky extended, while the other two fingers are folded. At the end of the post, there is also a link to a photo published by the same page in 2022, showing the late Pope Francis making a similar gesture. In the description, the author writes that “mano cornuto” is a sign of unity of occultists and followers of Satan and a “satanic greeting.”
The claim that both the current and former popes are making satanic gestures with their hands in the published photos is false. In reality, this gesture means “I love you” in American Sign Language.
On May 8, 2025, a new pope was elected in the Vatican – Leo XIV, also known as Robert Francis Prevost, who is the first American to become pope. Shortly after his election, the above-mentioned photo began circulating online with misleading descriptions and implications suggesting he was using a satanic or rock-style hand gesture known as the “devil horns.” In reality, in the photo the pope is using American Sign Language (ASL) to say “I love you” with his hand.
It’s worth noting that most rock legends and fans display the “devil horns” with the thumb folded inward. However, Gene Simmons, the legend of the famous band KISS, used a version with the thumb extended and even attempted to trademark it in 2017; however, he ran into difficulties, as the identical gesture already existed in ASL and meant “I love you.”
The Facebook post also includes the previously mentioned 2022 photo of the late Pope Francis using the same gesture, again claiming it to be satanic. In reality, Pope Francis and the Archbishop of Manila standing beside him were using ASL to show the “I love you” sign to people with hearing impairments. The Associated Press published the photo in 2015 with the caption, “Pope Francis and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle salute the crowd with the popular hand sign for ‘I love you’ during a meeting with families at the Mall of Asia arena in Manila, Philippines, Friday, Jan. 16, 2015.”
It should also be noted that in the search for the widely shared photo of Leo XIV, we came across several photoshopped versions in which he appears to be showing different signs with his hand.
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