VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV is just over a day into his pontificate and is already capturing style critics’ attention with his return to form on papal aesthetics.
It might seem silly to fuss over the pope’s image. The bishop of Rome’s first and foremost responsibility is helping the world to find salvation through Jesus Christ, not strutting the catwalk.
There is legitimacy in preventing robes and rings from becoming idols that overshadow the spiritual priorities of the office. However, when one’s life is spent almost entirely in the public eye, how one is presented ceases to be superfluous.
There is a reason popes dress in robes and cassocks, not polo shirts and blue jeans. Appearances send a message.
When he first emerged on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday, one message was immediately clear — Leo values tradition. He appeared in the same white cassock, red mozzetta, and papal stole combo worn by most modern popes but abandoned by his predecessor, the late Pope Francis.
Francis, known for his rejection of ornate clothing and accessories during his reign, was a singular personality in the Vatican. His appreciation for simplicity came from his lifelong embrace of material poverty, adhering to the Jesuit vow of poverty, admired by many who believed it conveyed a sense of closeness with the world’s poor.
Throughout his reign, he rarely wore anything more ornate than his plain white cassock with a bespoke fascia around his waist. He wore black orthopedic shoes instead of the traditional crimson papal slippers.
On cold days, he opted for a plain white coat and similar scarf. He brought his own eyeglasses from home. His Casio wristwatch cost less than $15.
Instead of residing in the luxurious papal accommodations enjoyed by pontiffs before him, Francis stayed in a modest Vatican guesthouse.
His disavowal of pomp was not for everyone. Some Catholics voiced a preference that the pope would maintain the same regalia as prior pontiffs.
There were simple fashionistas among these critics, but others expressed a deeper consideration — that the individual man is obscured and minimized behind the beautiful wardrobe. The bespoke garments can paradoxically humble the person and emphasize his office instead.
There have been a few other notable fashion choices from Leo in his first 48 hours. He wears a gold pectoral cross that he received from his religious order, the Augustinians, when he became a cardinal.
At his first Mass as pope on Thursday morning, he carried a gold ferula that was originally gifted to Pope Benedict.
He will also reportedly be moving into the Apostolic Palace, a sprawling residence immediately next to St. Peter’s Basilica and decorated with centuries’ worth of fine art and sculpture.
It’s important to keep in mind that Leo’s change in personal style from Francis is hardly a rebuke of the late Jesuit.
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The pope paid direct tribute to Francis during his greeting to the public on Thursday and emphasized his continued support of the Francis-era “synodal church” philosophy.
When a man is elected pope and ceases to be himself, he walks into an office with 2,000 years of accumulated possessions. Each one will settle into his own style.
