The entire world mourned the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday (April 21) at the age of 88 after suffering from chronic lung disease for quite some time.
The 88-year-old who led the Catholic church for almost 12 years, from March 13, 2013, to April 21, 2025, was a man who made many reforms for people and led the church in a relatively modern way.
As his funeral was concluded on April 26, 2025, with over 170 people, including global leaders and politicians in Rome, a quest to vote for the next pope in succession came into question. As the new conclave to choose the next head has begun, curiosity about the pope’s attire has also come into focus.
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As per sources, the next pope’s attire will consist of the following: the Fisherman’s Ring, a papal staff (ferula), the main garment or the robe, a portable chair, Other items like the white cassock or surplice, and the Cathedral Petri.
What drew the most attention was the pope’s robe, which is also known as a Cassock. (usually made of high-quality fabric like silk).
The long, floor-length garment, which is always white, sets him apart from the other clergy and serves as a symbol of purity and authority. The cassock is made with religious values like symbolism in mind, practicality, and, obviously, personal preference. The beautiful garment comes in two colors, including white and red, which signify meanings related to purity, compassion, sacrifice, and so on.
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What’s more intriguing is the fact that the robe comes in three different sizes, small, medium, and large, which are stitched by Gammarelli, a tailor group that’s been doing it for the last two centuries since 1798. The shop, which is situated in the heart of Rome, carries a rich legacy of lineage and pristine craftsmanship.
The head tailor of the brand, Massimiliano Gammarelli, who is now in his sixth generation and has dedicated 40 years to this profession, has made the main robe for the last eight Popes of the church, including the late Father Francis. Meanwhile, the white garment worn by the popes might look simple, but it takes quite some time to make.
The entire outfit, which consists of the robe and the skullcap, generally takes about 15 days to make from start to finish, as Gammarelli said to ABC News. The esteemed tailor said that as soon as he gets a green signal from the Holy See, his team will start making it immediately.
Massimiliano also said that every tailor on his team wishes to be a part of the process while making the Head Pope’s garment; hence, it always becomes a collaborative effort.
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“We don’t put anybody to the side,” he added. However, since it comes in three sizes, there are challenges in fitting in. For example, Pope John XXIII, known for his larger stature, required custom adjustments to his papal garments to ensure a proper and dignified fit. (All three sizes have to be ready.)
Nonetheless, these experienced tailors make the robe amidst a tight deadline, as the conclave on choosing the next pope could sometimes end in less than 24 hours. Genius master Massimiliano Gammarelli says that he is not sure if his team will be chosen to make the upcoming Pope’s robe.
However, the first conclave in the Sistine Chapel has already concluded, and no pope has been elected yet.
When a new pope is elected, there are two signs that mark that historic moment: the white smoke (“fumata bianca” in Italian) erupting from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and the formula “habemus papam” pronounced by the cardinal protodeacon from the balcony of St. Peter’s… pic.twitter.com/SM2qQ1UuUO
— EWTN News (@EWTNews) May 6, 2025
The voting process began when the big cardinals voted yesterday (the church has 1.4 billion members). Then the ballots are burned in a specially made burner within the chapel following each voting session.
In the coming days, if white smoke emerges, then the next pope will come out and greet the crowd from the balcony and mark the official takeover as the head of the church. Meanwhile, black smoke means no decision has been finalised.
