Cardinal Tagle Reacts to His Sudden Social Media Fame

Dubbed by the internet as “Cardi T,” he admits to feelings uneasy about his unexpected virality.

Published on May 10, 2025

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has emerged as the internet’s darling amid the events of the recently concluded Conclave. Dubbed as one of the frontrunners for the papacy before Pope Leo XIV was officially elected, Cardinal Chito, as he’s fondly called by Filipinos, won over social media both locally and internationally thanks to his charisma, playful personality, and likeness to the late Pope Francis in terms of their advocacies and beliefs.

His newfound fame has even birthed memes, fan edits, and the nickname “Cardi T” in relation to American rapper Cardi B. In a recent post-Conclave press conference, Cardinal Chito finally shared his candid thoughts on his unexpected virality.

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Cardinal Luis Tagle Talks About Becoming Internet Famous

While grateful for the support, Cardinal Chito admitted to feeling “uneasy” about all the attention he’s been getting online. He explained that as an introvert he’s not all that comfortable with being excessively talked about and being given nicknames to boot. “Hindi ko pa naman character yung mag-enjoy na panoorin yung tungkol sa akin. Kinikilabutan ako... Nagpapasalamat ako pero I have to admit merong weight yung ganoong exposure,” he told media.

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Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Although it might seem like harmless entertainment for most to create and consume content about the Conclave, Cardinal Chito revealed that it’s not all fun and games for those in the ministry. He especially singled out all the hearsay about the late Pope Francis having already picked him to be his next successor and how this took a toll on him.

“[It’s] tantamount to excommunicating Pope Francis and excommunicating me,” he said. “Medyo may ganoong element. Habang yung iba tuwang-tuwa, alam ba nila kung anong implications niyan? Na [pwede] ako ma-excommunicate bilang Katoliko? Nakaka-drain lang aaminin ko, nakakapagod.”

That said, Cardinal Chito hasn’t ruled out the positive effects that social media can have on their religious mission. In the same interview, he acknowledged the advantages of the digital space as it widens the amount of people they’re able to reach. “Pag nagsermon ka sa Sunday mass, dahil sa internet lumalagpas na [ito] sa physical space,” he said, adding later on, “Tignan natin yung potentials [ng social media] for evangelization.