You’ve seen the photo. The one where Pope Francis is strutting down a street looking like he just walked off a Balenciaga runway in a massive, gleaming white puffer jacket. It went viral. It fooled everyone from casual scrollers to celebrities.
But it was fake. Completely AI-generated.
The reality of pope francis in regular clothes is actually way more interesting than a computer-generated coat, mostly because it’s so rare and shrouded in "did-he-actually-do-that" Vatican mystery. When the leader of 1.3 billion Catholics ditches the white cassock, it’s not for a fashion statement. It’s usually because he’s trying to be a human being for five minutes.
🔗 Read more: 100 Ways to Love Your Husband: Why Most Relationship Advice Fails and What Actually Works
The Puffer Jacket Prank and Why We Fell For It
Honestly, the reason that Midjourney-generated image of the Pope in a designer puffer coat took over the internet in 2023 is that it felt plausible. This is a Pope who wears orthopedic black shoes instead of the traditional red silk ones. He carries his own black briefcase onto planes. He’s the "simple" Pope.
So, when people saw him in a $3,000-looking jacket, they didn't think, "That's a robot's work." They thought, "Oh, Francis is finally staying warm."
But let’s be real. The Pope doesn't do "athleisure."
His version of regular clothes is much more subtle. Usually, it’s just a plain black priest’s suit—the kind any parish priest in Rome might wear. No lace, no silk, just black polyester or wool. It’s the ultimate disguise in a city where every third person is a cleric.
Does he actually "sneak out" at night?
This is the big one. The urban legend that has persisted since 2013.
The story goes that Francis slips out of the Vatican’s "Saint Martha’s House" (where he lives) late at night. He allegedly puts on a simple black cassock or a regular suit to go sit with the homeless near the Termini station.
Is it true?
The Vatican press office has officially denied it, calling the reports "simply not true." But—and this is a big but—Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, the man in charge of the Pope's charities, once hinted that Francis is always itching to go with him on his nightly rounds. Krajewski basically told reporters that he has to remind the Pope that he’s, well, the Pope, and he can’t just wander the streets of Rome at 2:00 AM.
That hasn't stopped the rumors. People want it to be true. They want to believe that pope francis in regular clothes is out there somewhere, buying a panino for a guy on a park bench without anyone noticing the Fisherman’s Ring.
That time he actually wore black pants in public
Fast forward to April 2025. This wasn't a rumor. It was caught on video.
Pope Francis was recovering from a nasty bout of double pneumonia. He had been hospitalized for weeks and was supposed to be resting. Instead, he decided to take a "spontaneous" stroll—or rather, a roll in his wheelchair—through St. Peter’s Basilica.
Visitors were stunned. He wasn't in his white "house dress" (the formal name for the white cassock). He was wearing:
- Standard black trousers.
- A white long-sleeved undershirt or simple shirt.
- A striped blanket draped over his chest for warmth.
- Oxygen nasal cannulas (the little tubes for his nose).
He looked like... a grandpa. Just a regular 88-year-old man recovering from a chest infection. He waved at children and prayed at the tomb of Pope Pius X. It was a rare moment where the "office" of the Papacy was stripped away, and you just saw Jorge Bergoglio.
What the Pope wears when the cameras are off
Most people think the Pope sleeps in his robes. He doesn't.
Inside his private residence at the Casa Santa Marta, his lifestyle is famously modest. He doesn't live in the Apostolic Palace with its gold leaf and velvet. He lives in a suite that looks like a decent Marriott.
When he’s just "hanging out," he’s not in a suit and tie. According to people who have worked in the Vatican, popes generally wear:
✨ Don't miss: September 6 Explained: Why This Date Matters More Than You Think
- A simple black suit: Used for private study time or when they don't want to be "on."
- A sweater: Especially in the winter. Roman winters are damp, and those high ceilings in the Vatican are drafty.
- Clerical shirts: Usually grey or black.
There’s even a tailor in Detroit, Larry Alebiosu, who has connections to the tailors in Italy who make the "civilian" clothes for the Vatican elite. These aren't fancy; they’re just high-quality, durable clothes that let a man move around without tripping over six feet of white silk.
Why the "regular clothes" thing matters for SEO and your brain
People search for pope francis in regular clothes because we are obsessed with the "human" side of power. We want to see the cracks in the institution.
For Francis, his clothes are a tool. By refusing the red shoes (which symbolized the blood of the martyrs, but also looked a bit like Prada), he sent a message before he even spoke his first word as Pope. By wearing a simple iron cross instead of a gold one, he redefined what the Papacy looks like in the 21st century.
When he shows up in black pants or a simple jacket, it’s a deliberate choice to de-escalate the "majesty" of the role. It’s part of his Jesuit identity. Jesuits aren't known for being flashy; they’re known for being "contemplatives in action."
The Actionable Takeaway: Spotting the Fakes
In a world of AI, you’re going to see more "Pope in a track suit" or "Pope at Coachella" images. Here’s how you actually tell if a photo of the pope francis in regular clothes is real:
- Check the hands: AI still struggles with fingers. In the puffer jacket photo, his hand holding the water bottle was a blurry mess.
- Look for the entourage: The Pope never goes anywhere truly alone. Even if he’s in "disguise," there will be Swiss Guards or Gendarmerie nearby in plainclothes. If you see a lone Pope sitting at a Starbucks, it’s 100% fake.
- Verify the source: If it's a "surprise" appearance, the Vatican Press Office or major outlets like Crux or The Tablet will eventually confirm it.
If you’re interested in the history of papal fashion, don't just look at the memes. Look at the actual transition from the ornate styles of Pope Benedict XVI to the stripped-back, almost "secular" simplicity of Francis. It’s a masterclass in branding through textiles.
Next time you see a photo of the Pope in a hoodie, take a breath. Check the source. It's probably just a clever algorithm trying to get a click. But if it's a grainy cell phone video of an old man in black pants waving from a wheelchair in a quiet corner of Rome?
That might just be the real thing.