The Catholic Church’s centuries-old tradition of papal conclaves has gone viral, with social media platforms flooded by memes, speculation, and AI-generated imagery ahead of the cardinals’ gathering to elect a new pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.
One of the most talked-about posts came from U.S. President Donald Trump, who shared an AI-generated image of himself dressed in papal robes, pointing skyward from a throne — a post that quickly gained traction online.
According to social media monitoring platform Visibrain, over 1.3 million posts on X (formerly Twitter) have referenced the conclave, while related TikTok videos have amassed more than 363 million views. The buzz is driven in part by the event’s rarity and the theatrical spectacle that surrounds the process, including the Sistine Chapel setting and the iconic smoke signals indicating the outcome of the vote.
Digital engagement has taken creative turns as well. An online game called Fantapapa lets users pick their favorite cardinals and bet on who might be the next pope, echoing the format of fantasy sports leagues.
Experts say the conclave’s mix of secrecy, tradition, and global importance has made it ripe for social media storytelling. “It’s like an escape room in real time,” said Stephanie Laporte, founder of digital strategy firm OTTA. “People are hunting for clues and speculating wildly.”
Much of the excitement is also fueled by the Vatican’s digital transformation. The official @Pontifex account, created by Pope Benedict XVI and expanded under Pope Francis, now has more than 50 million followers in nine languages. Francis also attracted over 10 million followers on Instagram.
Several cardinals have embraced digital platforms. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York shares regular video updates with his hundreds of thousands of followers, while Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines has gained fame through his karaoke clips and Facebook posts. Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo even shared a selfie en route to visit Francis’s tomb.
The cultural intrigue is heightened by popular fiction and films like Angels and Demons and the recent movie Conclave, which have painted the papal selection process in a dramatic light.
Whether out of spiritual interest or pure fascination, young audiences have become active participants in this rare moment of history unfolding — live and online.
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