A Tailor’s Sacred Art for Pope Leo XIV

Far from the grandeur of the Vatican, Italian designer Filippo Sorcinelli works beneath the arcades of the mountain town of Santarcangelo di Romagna, where his sketches become elaborate vestments for Catholic ceremonies.

The 51-year-old founder of Atelier LAVS recently created the green and white vestment worn by Pope Leo XIV during Mass in Rimini.

Sorcinelli has spent 25 years creating sacred garments and has dressed the last three popes — Benedict XVI, Francis and now Leo XIV.

“Dressing a pope is, first of all, like dressing a priest,” Sorcinelli told AFP, stressing that the work is guided by respect for the dignity of the role.

His latest creation for Pope Leo featured deep green silk, gold and silver embroidery and green agate stones. Sorcinelli said the colour was chosen to reflect the liturgical season and themes of hope and protecting creation.

The design also drew inspiration from Rimini’s seaside setting, with decorative elements echoing the portholes of boats in the nearby port.

Sorcinelli’s connection with sacred art began in childhood in Mondolfo in Italy’s Marche region. He recalled accompanying his mother to clean the local church, where he became fascinated by the smell of incense and the antique textiles kept in the sacristy.

Faith remains central to his work, alongside his roles as a designer, perfumer and organist. He is supported by 11 seamstresses at his atelier, while his business has expanded to include perfumes and body products.

Creating a papal vestment can take anywhere from several weeks to three or four months, depending on its complexity. Designs and fabric samples are submitted to the Vatican office responsible for papal liturgical celebrations.

For Sorcinelli, the work remains an ongoing artistic journey.

“I regard art as an inexhaustible source of expression,” he said. “To stop would mean having completed one’s existence.”