Pope Francis didn't really say all dogs go to heaven

Pope Francis didn't really say all dogs go to heaven
(Image credit: Franco Origlia / Getty Images)

The widespread rumor Pope Francis suggested pets can get into heaven sounded too good to be true — and, in fact, it is. Though a prior pope did indeed make such a suggestion, Francis himself never did.

The confusion began last month when an Italian news story quoted Pope Paul VI as saying, decades ago, that people could see their pets in heaven, according to Religion News Service. But the article's misleading title got lost in translation and, like a game of telephone, the tale morphed on its way into English media to suggest Francis himself had uttered the quote.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.