From sacred to satirical: How the papal conclave became the internet’s favourite spectacle

From sacred to satirical: How the papal conclave became the internet’s favourite spectacle

As 133 cardinals begin their sacred duty of choosing the next pope in one of the world’s most solemn elections, the internet is transforming the Vatican’s red-robed ritual into a global spectacle. From memes and musical remixes to mock fashion reviews, the conclave has collided with digital culture — and the result is something between reverence and ridiculousness, the New York Times reported.

“This is dramatic and it’s fashion,” said Rob Anderson, a New York-based author and online personality, summing up the internet’s fascination with what he calls the “Pope Games.” His videos, and countless others like them, turn cardinals into reality TV contestants, conjure imaginary conclave group chats, and speculate about frontrunners with more flair than formality.

Memes in miters: A viral conclave

The seriousness of the conclave — a cloistered ritual unfolding in the Sistine Chapel — hasn’t deterred the meme-makers. On TikTok, creators don DIY skullcaps and reenact backroom deals. On X, millions watched a meme of a cardinal lighting another’s cigarette. Fan accounts rank “papabile” candidates not on theology but charisma. Charli XCX tracks accompany cardinal edits, while commentaries over papal fashion rival awards season.

“The Catholic iconography is camp,” said Italian curator Victoria Genzini, who runs a Vatican-themed meme page. The fascination isn’t entirely new — the HBO series The Young Pope and the recent film Conclave both tapped into this aesthetic — but social media has accelerated the trend.

Faith meets fandom

Even actual cardinals like Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Jerusalem-based cleric whose name has become a meme itself, are becoming accidental icons. “The internet really was rooting for him simply because they want to be able to say that name a lot,” Anderson joked.

Progressive hopefuls like Cardinal Matteo Zuppi are also getting attention, often cast as “liberal icons” or “communist threats,” depending on the source. And a resurfaced clip of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle singing a snippet of John Lennon’s “Imagine” — albeit without the infamous “no heaven” line — ignited debate across Catholic and pop culture circles.

From sacred rite to meme content

While some Catholic commentators decry the spectacle as sacrilegious, others suggest the meme-ification is a symptom of disconnection. “Now people experience it like a music festival or the Olympics,” said journalist Elisa Giudici. “It’s precisely because the church means less to them that they feel free to treat it playfully.”

Still, the conclave remains a deeply consequential event. Whoever is elected pope will inherit a church grappling with financial woes, a sexual abuse crisis, and global debates about inclusion, migration, and LGBTQ+ rights. But for many on social media, those stakes take a back seat to spectacle — at least for now.

A conclave cut off from the world

In a final twist of irony, while their images circulate globally, the cardinal electors themselves will be offline. The Vatican has banned phones inside the conclave and will block signal transmissions to preserve secrecy.

Yet the internet’s enthusiasm shows no signs of slowing. According to Cyabra, a Tel Aviv-based social media intelligence firm, one in five profiles posting about the conclave on X were bots. But the rest — from queer creators to fashion bloggers — reflect a genuine cultural fascination.

“There’s so much material,” said Anderson. “Everybody loves this.”