Victory, it’s been said, has a thousand fathers, while defeat is an orphan. Right now, taking up residence at that same orphanage appears to be a bit of fake news from the 2025 conclave, specifically a false report this past Wednesday about the health of front-running papal candidate Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
At the moment, the American Catholic site CatholicVote.org and several Italian news agencies seem to be in a contest to see who can offload responsibility for the rumour on the other.
On Wednesday, a report began to make the rounds that Parolin, 70, had fainted during that day’s General Congregation meeting of cardinals due to a spike in his blood pressure, and that he required medical intervention from Vatican healthcare personnel. While most media outlets were cautious, understanding that negative rumours about a candidate’s health are often part of the uglier pre-conclave dynamics, a few went with the story anyway, citing unnamed sources.
