Oh Father! These hot priests on social media are racking up a lot of faithful followers
Forgive me!
Mark
Forgive me Daddy, erm, Father, for I have sinned — and followed a priest on Instagram.
Although the concept of a “hot priest” is nothing new (Fleabag, anyone?), their presence in the culture has grown enormously over the past few years, thanks to social media.
How about we take this to the next level?
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In fact, these good-looking guys with a heart of gold (for Jesus) have gained so much traction that the Catholic Church recently stepped in with a warning.
After Father Alberto Ravagnani, whose Italian-language YouTube channel “Un Prete in Palestra” translates to “A Priest in the Gym,” recently nabbed a sponsorship deal with a supplement company, his superiors stepped in and basically told him to put on a damn shirt, according to The Telegraph.
Ravagnani’s fellow brothers in Christ, including the archbishop of Milan, apparently told the 32-year-old workout junkie (who encourages his followers “to be saintly, but also healthy”) that his clips were not “appropriate” and “showing off your muscles means that the world has corrupted you.” LOL.
Thankfully, it seems like the showing of skin is more of a matter of opinion, and the biggest issue was that he “[strayed] into the world of paid content on social media.”
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For his part, Ravagnani told his followers that “supplements help me to stay strong and carry out my mission,” and he promised to use proceeds from his content for “pastoral activities.”
Honestly, the whole thing seems like a can of worms that no amount of holy water will be able to fix.
To be fair, it’s an interesting time for the Catholic church as a whole. While the recently sworn-in Pope Leo XIV is ushering in a new era, his views on more liberal issues, including LGBTQ+ couples, seem to parallel his predecessors.
So, we can’t knock Ravagnani and the many photogenic priests who are hoping that some healthy amount of thirst traps on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook might drum up business in the pews.
And it’s time for confession: We love following all of them.
Here are some of our favorites…
1. Father Ambrogio Mazzai
Don Ambrogio Mazzai is the priest of the diocese of Verona, but his 108,000 Instagram followers might be more interested in all of his biking content.
Not only does he look great in biking shorts, but he’s also fairly inspirational. “As it falls, the drop hollows out the stone, not because of its strength, but because of its consistency,” he wrote alongside one speedy pic.
2. Father Giuseppe Fusari
This 58-year-old tatted up silver fox from Brescia, Italy, has been dubbed “the bodybuilder priest” by his more than 60,000 followers on Instagram. In July, he was one of more than a thousand priests and friars who converged at the Vatican to discuss how to use social media to engage would-be congregations.
“There is a lot of curiosity, and I am convinced that social media is one way to attract people,” he told The Telegraph. Color us curious!
3. Father Rafael Capo
Father Rafael Capo of Miami is building a name for himself as America’s bodybuilding priest and for good reason: He’s huge!
His flex-heavy social media accounts are filled with bulging biceps, Bible verses, and the occasional “Eucharist Powered” tee.
4. Father Cosimo Schena
Over a million people follow Father Cosimo Schena across social media, making him one of the most recognizable faces of the “digital missionary” movement. The 46-year-old, who calls himself a “priest 2.0,” is also a dynamic clinical psychologist and was attracted to social for its reach potential.
“The illness of this century is loneliness, and we listen to each other very little,” he told Catholic News Agency. “I try to convey a simple message, because the Lord is simple.” Of course, it helps that he’s gorgeous, too.
5. Andrew Scott
Sorry, we had to!
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