Papal Drip

A Brief History of Pontifical Style That Went Viral

With news of Pope Francis’ passing this morning, the mood online has been a juxtaposition of reverence, reflection, and, true to internet form, papal pop culture. It might feel irreverent to some, but the papacy has always been part pageantry, and yes, that includes fashion.

So today, as timelines fill with tributes and Vatican press releases, here’s a sartorial salute to the three most fashionably influential popes of the digital era: John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. The looks were real, the memes eternal, and in some cases, the image AI-generated, but the vibes? Canon.