It’s not every day you see 40 real Vatican Bishops striding down a runway like seasoned fashion week veterans—but then again, it’s not every day that Dolce & Gabbana stage a Haute Couture Mens wear show on the Ponte Sant’Angelo with a backdrop of the Castel Sant’Angelo and the Vatican’s own dome twinkling in the distance .

In celebration of the Jubilee year—a time meant for solemn reflection and renewal—the Italian design duo offered something a little less contemplative and a lot more celebratory: a full-blown ecclesiastical fashion spectacular that would make even the College of Cardinals pause for a second look. With their ongoing Alta Sartoria “Grand Tour” of Italy, Dolce & Gabbana brought their vision of sacred grandeur to the Eternal City, reinterpreting the historic and the holy through velvet, crystals, and gold-threaded drama.

The highlight? A procession of 40 actual bishops dressed in the gloriously regal costumes created for Edward Berger’s film Conclave. These weren’t just inspired pieces—these were cinematic relics turned haute couture, paraded across a bridge that once led Roman emperors to their tombs. And on this night, it led the clergy straight into the pages of fashion history.

There was no mistaking the references. Embroidered copes, jewel-encrusted chasubles, and dalmatics reimagined for the runway glistened under Roman twilight, invoking a kind of ecclesiastical glam not seen since the Medici had a say in papal wardrobes. One could almost hear the whisper: Would you dress like the Pope? The answer, judging by the crowd of fashion patrons and ecclesiastical enthusiasts (and yes, Cher), was a resounding “only if it’s bespoke.”

Rumour has it Dolce met Gabbana while dressed as a priest in a Milan nightclub. True or not, it’s the kind of myth that makes perfect sense after a show like this. With each meticulously handcrafted piece costing upwards of €50,000, it’s safe to say most actual cardinals might have to skip a few Vatican banquets—or start a very stylish side hustle.

Even the angels of Bernini, lining the bridge with their sculpted serenity, seemed to approve. And while Pope Francis wisely gave the glittering affair a miss, one imagines even he might crack a smile at the sight of such an elaborate ode to the Church’s visual legacy—especially if it helps pack the pews.

After all, if this is what going to church looked like every Sunday, the queue for confession might just include a few fashion editors.