From Politico:
The upcoming papal election isn’t just a pivotal moment for the Catholic Church, it’s a full-blown Gen Z obsession. The Conclave is now trending, and what was once a solemn closed-door ritual has become a pop culture moment, complete with memes, fan cams and online debates.
On X, users are dissecting the “papabiles” like they’re fantasy football picks. And while last year’s hit film “Conclave” lit the spark of interest, TikTok poured gasoline on it, with videos of cardinals striding through St. Peter’s Square like they’re headlining Coachella, robes billowing, holy swagger intact.