Vatican updates guidelines for evaluating supernatural claims in the digital era

The Vatican has recently introduced new guidelines to regulate claims of supernatural events and apparitions in the digital age. The aim is to prevent fraudsters from exploiting these claims for personal gain and to ensure that only genuine occurrences are recognized as supernatural. According to Pope Francis, reported incidents have led to the establishment of shrines and pilgrimages, but he has expressed reservations about some apparitions. The new norms, outlined in the "Norms for Proceeding in the Discernment of Alleged Supernatural Phenomena", state that only a pope can declare an apparition or revelation as supernatural. This change is intended to prevent local bishops from making hasty decisions and ensure that all claims are thoroughly investigated.