You remember it. That picture of Pope Francis in the massive, white, designer-looking puffer jacket. He looked like he was about to drop the hardest rap album of 2023 or walk a runway in Milan. It was crisp. It was stylish. Honestly, it was a vibe. But there was one tiny problem: it wasn't real.
The image, which most people call the "Balenciaga Pope," didn't come from a Vatican photographer. It came from a 31-year-old construction worker in Chicago named Pablo Xavier who was, by his own admission, just messing around with Midjourney while high. Within hours, it had millions of views. It fooled everyone from your aunt on Facebook to celebrities like Chrissy Teigen. It was probably the first time a lot of people realized that AI had officially crossed the line from "weird looking robots" to "I can't believe my eyes anymore."
The Moment the Puffer Jacket Went Viral
The "puffer coat" era of the papacy was short-lived but intense. When that picture of Pope Francis first hit Reddit and then exploded on X (formerly Twitter), it didn't immediately scream "fake" to the casual scroller. Why would it? We live in a world where Pope Francis is known for being the "cool" pope. He’s the guy who wears simple black shoes instead of the fancy red ones. He’s the guy who drives a Kia. A stylish jacket to keep warm? Sure, why not.
But if you look closer—and I mean really close—the cracks start to show. AI in early 2023 was great at vibes but terrible at physics.
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- The Hand: His right hand looks like it's holding a coffee cup, but the fingers are sort of melting into the air.
- The Crucifix: The cross hanging around his neck is only attached on one side. It’s basically floating by magic on the other.
- The Glasses: The shadow of his glasses merges directly into his skin in a way that looks like a bad Photoshop job if you stare long enough.
It’s easy to laugh now, but at the time, this was a massive wake-up call. It wasn't just a meme; it was a proof of concept for how easily misinformation could spread. If we can't trust a photo of a man in a coat, how are we going to trust photos of war zones or political scandals?
Why This Specific Picture of Pope Francis Changed Everything
Before this, most AI-generated images looked like fever dreams. People had six fingers, eyes were in the wrong place, and backgrounds looked like melting wax. But the "drip" photo was different. It was high-resolution. It had realistic lighting. It felt grounded in a way that bypassed our collective "BS" detectors.
Since then, the Vatican has had to get surprisingly tech-savvy. Pope Francis himself has become an unlikely advocate for AI ethics. Just look at the Antiqua et Nova document released by the Vatican in early 2025. It basically says that while technology is a gift, we have to keep "humanity at the center." The Pope has literally called for an international treaty to regulate AI. He knows firsthand what happens when your likeness is hijacked for a joke—or worse.
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Real Iconic Photos vs. The AI Fakes
While the puffer jacket gets all the clicks, there are real, powerful images of Francis that tell a much deeper story. Think about the photo of him standing alone in a rain-slicked, empty St. Peter’s Square during the 2020 lockdown. That wasn't a computer-generated trick. That was a raw, historical moment captured by human eyes.
Then there’s the 2013 photo of him embracing Vinicio Riva, a man covered in tumors. Or the time he knelt to kiss the feet of South Sudanese leaders to plead for peace. These aren't "cool" in the way a Balenciaga coat is cool, but they are authentic. That’s the danger of the AI trend—it trades genuine human connection for a quick "wow" factor.
How to Tell if a Pope Photo is Real or AI
We’ve reached a point where you basically have to be a digital detective. In 2026, the tools are even better than they were when the puffer jacket dropped. If you see a weird picture of Pope Francis today, here is the mental checklist you should run:
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- Check the Source: Did this come from a reputable news agency like AP, Reuters, or the official Vatican Media? If it’s just a random post on a "Cool Art" page, be skeptical.
- Look for Symmetry: AI still struggles with things like matching earrings, the exact pattern on a lace vestment, or the way light reflects in both eyes.
- The Background Test: Look at the people in the background. Are their faces blurred into blobs? Are their limbs at weird angles? AI often spends all its "brain power" on the main subject and forgets to make the crowd look human.
- The "Why" Factor: Ask yourself, "Why would the Pope be doing this?" Is he suddenly wearing a neon tracksuit? Is he riding a skateboard? If it feels like it was designed to go viral, it probably was.
The Future of the Papacy in the Age of Deepfakes
We are entering a weird era. We’ve already seen AI images of Trump dressed as a pope and fake videos of church leaders saying things they never said. It’s not just about funny outfits anymore. It’s about trust. When the real Pope Francis passed away in April 2025, the internet was flooded with both beautiful tributes and weirdly perfect AI-generated "heavenly" scenes. It made the grieving process feel... cluttered.
The takeaway? Don't let the "drip" distract you from the reality. AI is a tool, and like any tool, it can be used to build or to deceive. The next time a picture of Pope Francis pops up in your feed looking a little too perfect, take a second. Zoom in on the hands. Check the shadows.
Next Steps for Staying Sharp:
Start by following official Vatican social media accounts or verified news outlets to see what the Pope actually looks like in his day-to-day life. Familiarize yourself with "liveness" detection concepts and use reverse image search tools like Google Lens or TinEye whenever a photo looks "too good to be true." Verification is the only way to survive the "drip" era.