Catholic procession in New York misrepresented as pro-Palestine march

By: Rajini KG
March 5 2024

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The screenshot of the viral video circulating online with false claims. (Source: Facebook/ Modified by Logically Facts)

What is the claim?

As Israel's war on Hamas rages on, with over 30,000 people Palestinians killed in the last five months in the Gaza Strip, a video is circulating on Facebook with the claim that it shows "more than 5000 Catholics" walking in support of Palestine. Similar posts have also been shared on X (formerly Twitter), and archived links to such posts can be found here and here.

Screenshots from the viral video circulating online. (Source: Facebook/X/ Modified by Logically Facts)

However, the claim is false. The footage shows a Catholic procession in New York. 

Here are the facts

Through a reverse image search, we found visuals seen in the viral clip in a video published by Fox News on October 14, 2023. The video report, captured from a different angle than the viral clip, was titled: "Hundreds participate in Eucharistic procession through New York City." According to the report, the procession was held on October 10, 2023. According to the Liturgy Office in Wales, England, a Eucharistic procession is "a solemn procession with singing," where Catholic Christians "give public witness of faith and devotion towards the sacrament." 

While Fox News seems to be the only major news outlet that covered this procession, other websites corroborate what Fox News reported. Catholic World Reporter, a not-for-profit organization, posted many pictures from the Eucharistic procession on October 11, 2023. The attire of the people in the procession and the background visible in these photos match the viral video. The Catholic World Reporter report states that dozens of priests, nuns, and laypeople marched through New York City's streets with the Blessed Sacrament — a sacred object.

The Napa Institute, a Catholic leadership organization, had organized the procession as a part of the group's 2023 Principled Entrepreneurship Conference, which took place at the Metropolitan Club in New York City on October 10–11, 2023. We found the viral video on the institute's Instagram account, posted on October 12 with the caption, "5,000 witnesses to the true presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist in the streets of New York City during rush hour. Powerful!" There was no mention of Palestine by the institute.       

The Napa Institute website reports that Father Mike Schmitz led the opening mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, followed by a Eucharistic procession on the first day of the conference. The event concluded with a private reception at the Cardinal's residence on October 10, 2023.

There are no credible news reports of any Eucharistic procession linked to the Israel and Palestine conflict.

Logically Facts has also contacted The Napa Institute for a comment, and this fact-check will be updated if and when we get a response.

The verdict

The video of a Eucharistic procession in New York's Manhattan from October 2023 has been misinterpreted as a pro-Palestine march. It is not related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Therefore, we mark this claim as false.