Several posts have been published on social media platforms Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) claiming that the Vatican is run by UFOs (extraterrestrials).
This claim is made somewhere in reference to a coat of arms of a Roman Catholic cardinal, which is said to be a flying saucer (UFO).
However, after verification of the facts carried out by Reuters (see here), it has been proven that this symbol does not represent a UFO as claimed, but rather a red hat with long tassels on both sides.
Post links published on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter):
Reuters has managed to confirm that the red hat represents the coats of arms of cardinals in the 16th century. (see here and here)
Cardinals have not worn them on their heads since 1969, when as part of the Second Vatican Council, which aimed to modernize the Catholic Church, Pope Paul VI abolished their use (see here “Part One” letter A, number 9). (see here)
Instead, a smaller red hat called a biretta is now given to newly installed cardinals, Father Richard Kunst, a priest who collects papal artifacts, explains on his website. (here)
Analyze:
Fact-checkers at Reuters have clarified that the aforementioned social media accounts shared a photo of a cardinal's coat of arms, not a UFO symbol in the Vatican, as claimed.
These posts have been rated as "Fraud".