Less than 100 days into his papacy, Pope Leo XIV is already making history—not only as the first American pope, but as a pontiff unafraid to walk the line between tradition and modernity. His most powerful ally? The youth.
In a bold new era for the Catholic Church, Pope Leo has thrown open the doors of the Vatican—literally and figuratively—to a new generation of believers, seekers, creatives, and reformers. From livestreamed Q&As and AI ethics roundtables to a church-inspired fashion show in Rome. ‘Hot’ Priests are being bet on to influence faithfuls to go to church and turn to christianity.
In a striking break from convention, the Vatican co-sponsored a fashion showcase titled “Vestments Reimagined”, held at Rome’s historic Palazzo della Cancelleria. The event featured young designers from across the globe presenting garments inspired by sacred art, liturgical symbols, and Catholic storytelling.
The runway was flanked by relics and Renaissance art, but the models—many of them seminarians, students, and nuns—wore pieces that fused reverence with rebellion. Think cassock-inspired capes, reinterpretations of Mary’s blue, and stoles that doubled as streetwear scarves.
To the audience’s surprise, Pope Leo XIV appeared at the closing ceremony.“I see no contradiction between beauty and holiness,” he said. “If God speaks through creation, surely He can also speak through creativity.”
His presence sent a global signal: that the Church, often seen as stiff and disengaged, is not only willing to dialogue with youth culture—but to celebrate it.
He has made youth engagement a central pillar of his papacy, launching the Pontifical Council for Youth and Innovation and holding informal roundtables with young people on everything from mental health to climate anxiety.
“Youth are not waiting for permission to be Church,” he said during the Vatican’s Jubilee of Youth. “They already are. The only question is: are we walking with them—or behind them?”
Pope Leo’s approach is more than symbolic. He has opened new channels for young people to participate in Church governance, mandated the inclusion of youth delegates at every synod, and requested a global audit on how inclusive parishes are toward women, the LGBTQ+ community, and neurodivergent youth.
He’s also spoken directly on the issue of Church hurt. “We cannot heal what we refuse to name,” he told a youth audience at Castel Gandolfo in June. “If the Church has wounded you, I ask your forgiveness not as a formality, but as a commitment to do better.”
Rather than condemning digital culture, Pope Leo is helping the Church navigate it. At the Faith & Future Summit, he cautioned against worshipping follower counts, saying: “Your worth is not measured by your engagement, but by your integrity.”
Still, he encouraged creators to use platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Threads to “spread joy, justice, and truth”—and even appeared in a Vatican TikTok video, walking with pilgrims to a youth mass and laughing over a slice of deep-dish pizza flown in from Chicago.
Though he has won praise from young Catholics and progressive observers, Pope Leo has stopped short of changing doctrine. His aim, Vatican officials say, is not to liberalize the Church, but to re-humanize it.
“We are not here to rewrite the Gospel,” he said recently. “We are here to ensure it is heard—with clarity, compassion, and courage.
And in the heart of Rome, where centuries of tradition meet the pulse of a restless world, a pope walked into a fashion show and made it holy.