Pope Francis has said gossiping is worse than COVID-19. He said gossip is a danger that divides communities. He added that the devil is the "biggest gossiper" who is seeking to create division his lies. The Pope spoke the dangers of gossiping during his weekly blessing the Vatican. He said: "Please brothers and sisters, let's try to not gossip. Gossip is a plague worse than COVID. Worse. Let's make a big effort. No gossiping." The Pope has regularly spoken the dangers of gossiping, especially social media. He advises people not to listen to Internet trolls, saying: "If something goes wrong, offer silence and prayer the brother or sister who make a mistake, but never gossip."
The Pope was making his first public audience the pandemic started. His latest speech gossip is not the first time he has made strong remarks the topic. In 2016, he warned people not to "fuel the terrorism gossip". He urged people to resist the temptation to spread gossip. He said: "If you get an urge to say something a brother or a sister, to drop a gossip bomb, bite your tongue. Hard." Two years later he brought the subject again. He told worshippers St Peter's Square that gossip is lethal "because the tongue kills, a knife". A visitor to the Vatican agreed. She said: "Gossips are nothing but scandalmongers and busybodies."
