Pope Francis Gets Tribute From Malik Beasley's GF Natalia Garibotto, Who He Had A Viral Moment 1 Parishioners attend a special Mass for the Pope Francis at the Cathedral of Incarnation Monday, April 21, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. The Pope, who died at 88 after an illness, emphasized inclusion and care for the impoverished.

Pope Francis Gets Tribute From Malik Beasley’s GF Natalia Garibotto, Who He Had A Viral Moment

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Dan Agulto | Last updated Apr 22, 2025 9:56 AM ET

Pope Francis has passed, and people, from Catholic faithfuls to non-Catholics alike, have paid tribute to the late Church leader. One of those is social media personality Natalia Garibotto, Malik Beasly’s girlfriend, who even bloody referenced a previous viral issue she got involved in with the Pope’s name.

In an Instagram story, Natalia Garibotto posted a photo of Pope Francis alongside a screenshot of one of her old posts, and added a caption that made it seem like it was a tribute to the late Church leader.

“REST IN PARADISE MY FRIEND,” Garibotto wrote.

The photo involved was one of her posts in the past which was liked by the official account of Pope Francis, and sparked a huge controversy.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. The Vatican confirmed that he suffered a stroke and cardiac arrest, marking the end of a papacy that sought to modernize and unify the Church.

His passing has led to an outpouring of grief from Catholics worldwide, with many remembering him as a humble and compassionate leader who championed social justice and inclusivity.

Pope Francis Linked in 2024 to Liking a Social Media Post

In November 2020, a surprising event unfolded when Pope Francis’s official Instagram account, @franciscus, appeared to like a photo of Brazilian model Natalia Garibotto. This photo, posted earlier that October, featured Garibotto in revealing schoolgirl-style lingerie with a suggestive caption, “I can teach you a thing or two,” and a devil horn emoji.

Pope Francis Gets Tribute From Malik Beasley's GF Natalia Garibotto, Who He Had A Viral Moment 2 Pope Francis arrives in the United States from Cuba at Joint Base Andrews and is greeted by President Barack Obama on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015 in Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

The like was noticed by users and reported by news outlets, sparking widespread attention due to the unusual nature of the incident involving the head of the Catholic Church.

The Vatican responded by launching an investigation to determine how the like occurred, as the Pope’s social media is managed by a team, and no staffer admitted to liking the photo. They sought explanations from Instagram, stating the like did not come from the Holy See. At the time, reports indicated the investigation was ongoing, but no further updates have been widely reported since.

Pope Francis Gets Tribute From Malik Beasley's GF Natalia Garibotto, Who He Had A Viral Moment 3 Pope Francis kisses 16-week-old Luke Uebbing of Denver from his Pope mobile at Independence Mall to thousands of cheering people.

Natalia Garibotto, with 2.4 million Instagram followers, responded humorously on X, joking, “At least I’m going to heaven.” The post has since been deleted. Her management company, COY Co, capitalized on the publicity by reposting the image and claiming they had received the “POPE’S OFFICIAL BLESSING,” further amplifying the story’s viral spread.

For most Catholics, however, it was clear to them that the case was simply a social media staff being reckless in using the account under the name of Pope Francis.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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