What are the Pope Games? Inside TikTok’s conclave obsession

The ritual of the papal conclave is solemn business shrouded in secrecy.

The process to elect the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church involves confiscated phones, blacked-out windows and high-stakes diplomacy – which also makes it perfect fodder for social media obsession and instant memeification.

In the days since Pope Francis passed away, award-winning film Conclave’s viewership has surged by 283 per cent. However, social media has taken a more... creative approach.

“Catholic Superbowl tomorrow,” one TikTok user declared on a video with more than half a million views.

“Day one of the Pope Games is complete,” another creator narrated to their 2.6 million followers.

“One hundred thirty-three of these singles have entered the villa, no technology or contact with the outside world, leaving the ring light at the door, losing their Duolingo streaks. Here’s all the messy drama that went down before the conclave and what we can look forward to.”

Comparing a centuries-old process to reality shows like Big Brother or RuPaul’s Drag Race or even the NFL draft are among the many viral conclave-driven memes saturating the internet.

It didn’t take long for social media to move from edits of fictional cardinals, like Lawrence and Bellini, to those currently at the Vatican conclave as we write. Creators did not shy away from fan-made edits of cardinals like Luis Antonio Tagle and Matteo Zuppi, both considered top contenders.

Such videos, though, are more commonly used with artists and influencers. Using taglines like “luis antonio tagle for pope!” and “Good luck divas”, this year’s conclave collides like never before with viral internet trends and pop culture.

Young people are sometimes stereotypically considered less religious than previous generations, however Gen Z and Millennials seem to be highly engaged with the 2025 conclave.

So why is social media so obsessed?

Is it down to Pope Francis’ presence across several social media platforms, or perhaps it’s the aesthetic intrigue of scarlett-cloaked men selecting a powerful figure of influence? With no microphones or cameras inside the Sistine Chapel, are we drawn to a sense of mystery?

Maybe it’s the fact that this is the first conclave to take place at a time when social media makes a lot of things – such as using TikToks to “root” for your favourite cardinal ...accessible?

Despite the memes, some content creators have taken a more serious approach, providing analysis videos, explainers on the voting system and predictions on likely successors.

Meanwhile, the Vatican’s official news account has two million followers and has been steadily updating its audience with daily videos, including footage of the conclave procession into the Sistine Chapel and images of black smoke from the chimney following the first ballot.

Modern conclaves typically last no more than a week, however the longest conclave on record took nearly three years. That’s a lot of time for memes.

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