Santarcangelo di Romagna (Italy) (AFP) – Far from the solemn pomp of the Vatican, nestled under the arcades of the mountain town of Santarcangelo di Romagna, a tailor clad all in black leaned over his sketch.
Issued on: 22/08/2026 - 14:34
3 min Reading time
With a few strokes of his pencil, Filippo Sorcinelli brought to life a flowing liturgical robe -- fitting for the man whose artistry and faith has cemented an international reputation for one-of-a-kind ecclesiastical attire.On Saturday, Pope Leo XIV was to don a green and white vestment created by the 51-year-old Sorcinelli during a papal mass in the nearby port city of Rimini. Having run Atelier LAVS for sacred vestments for 25 years, Sorcinelli is well aware of the weight of his responsibilities. He has created liturgical garments for the last three popes -- Benedict XVI, Francis, and now the Chicago-born Leo. "Dressing a pope is, first of all, like dressing a priest. The respect is the same, the parameters are the same -- caring about respect for the role the priest and the pope occupy, therefore for their dignity and how they present themselves to the world," Sorcinelli told AFP.The liturgical norms to be respected "are not constraints but guidelines, rules, fixed points," he said, calling sacred art "an absolutely important message of revelation."- Incense, textiles --
