CULTURE

Gen Z’ Has A New Obsession: Electing the Next Pope

Niko Lubura

Niko Lubura

— 2 min read
Gen Z’ Has A New Obsession: Electing the Next Pope
Giovanni Guida, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

With the recent passing of Pope Francis, the centuries old tradition has found an unlikely surge of attention in the most unexpected coroner of the internet, the Gen Z’s. As the Cardinals fly into Rome, and begin to gather in secrecy for the papal conclave, a new wave of online energy has emerged — turning the sacred process of electing the next leader of the Catholic church into a trending topic on every major social platform. 

This isn’t your usual Vatican watch centering around theological debates, or traditional speculation, but a new approach with memes in the very center. Gen Z’s has taken to fancams, campaigns, and digital rallies around their favourite cardinals, cardinals that many around the world did not know much about. At the very epicenter of this has been Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the 67 year old Filipino prelate who’s become an unexpected social media darling. 

Tagle’s appeal to younger audiences is not just about aesthetics — through his calm approachable and sometimes funny demeanor, but about his social policy as well. He has inspired a wave of fancams, edits and videos set to popular music which has made him stand out in a sea of red. His progressive stances toward women, LGBTQ+ rights, and world conflicts cemented him in the eyes of millions of young people around the world. His focus on social justice and dialogue feels like a breath of fresh air for a generation craving authenticity, transparency and change from a system set in stone hundreds of years ago. 

The entire phenomenon has also been fueled by Conclave (2024), that dramatized the secretive process of electing a new pope, giving many young viewers their first look behind the scenes. And then there’s PopeCrave — a parody Twitter account modeled after celebrity news giant PopCrave — that has been live-tweeting every papal rumor, cardinal fashion moment, and smoke-related meme with the precision of a modern-day Vatican gossip column. PopeCrave has turned the conclave into a digital spectacle, blending reverence and absurdity in a way that feels very Gen Z.

But beyond the memes, there’s something more serious stirring here. Gen Z’s engagement signals a deep curiosity about power, tradition, and the possibility of change—no matter how ancient the institution. Whether Cardinal Tagle becomes Pope or not, this moment marks a shift: the conclave isn’t just a hidden ritual anymore. It’s been cracked open, reinterpreted, and broadcast for all to see.

And maybe, just maybe, the next Pope will be someone who understands what it means to trend.

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