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Does Pope Francis Use Email?

Some popes are more tech-friendly than others

By Heinz Tschabitscher Heinz Tschabitscher Writer University of Vienna A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 12, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Email Yahoo! Mail Gmail Although His Holiness Pope Francis might have a private or official email address, he does maintain a publicly listed email address. People who wish to contact him by modern means aren't relegated to snail mail as he has an active Twitter feed.

Contact the Pope Through the Mail

For contacting Pope Francis through the postal service, the Vatican provides this address: His Holiness, Pope Francis
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City Don't add "Italy" to the address. The Vatican is a separate political entity from Italy.

The Pope Doesn' t Use Email

Despite his lack of email accessibility, Pope Francis sees modern communication options as beneficial. When Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, visited the Vatican in January 2016, Pope Francis released a message titled Communication and Mercy: A Fruitful Encounter, for the 50th World Day of Social Communications. In it, he said that the internet, text messages, and social networks are "gifts from God." Giulio Origlia / Getty Images

Other Popes in the Information Age

Unlike their current successor, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II had email addresses: benedictxvi@vatican.va and john_paul_ii@vatican.va, respectively. Both might have had other private email addresses inside the Vatican, as well. Karol Józef Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II in 1978 before people used email widely and practically. The first email had been written seven years previous to his ascendancy, but few people outside the computer programming field knew computer networks existed. Yet, John Paul II became the first email-savvy pontiff in history and the first to be canonized in centuries. In late 2001, the pope apologized for injustices committed by the Roman Catholic Church in Oceania via email. The Holy Father would have preferred to visit the Pacific nations and deliver his words of penitence in person, but email made for an effective second-best choice. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire 8 Free Ways to Find Someone Online 10 Best Free Email Accounts for 2022 How to Use Sign In With Apple How to Email Undisclosed Recipients in iPhone Mail How to Email a Phone Number What Is Email aka Electronic Mail? The Best Teen Movies on Netflix (September 2022) What Is Bill Gates's Email Address? How to Find All Mail Exchanged With a Contact in Gmail How to Set Up Microsoft 365 on iPhone How to Set up a Twitter Account How to Find an Email Address Online How to Guess a Surprising Number of Email Addresses The Best Father's Day E-Card Sites for 2022 Holy Stone RC Cartoon Race Car Review: Family-Friendly Fun Create and Use Email Templates in Outlook Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies