Following the burst of white smoke that indicates the Catholic Church has chosen a new Pope, much of the world was ripe with anticipation to discover just who this new figure was. Was he young? Old? European? Anti-gay marriage? Pro-abortion? Despite a steady decline in religion, the choosing of a new pope continues to spark worldwide chatter. Following the recent election of Pope Francis, one did not have to look far to find a string of social media jokes based around Pope Francis allegedly being a pretty dedicated soccer fan. Yes, the Pope continues to spark conversation even amongst those who are not religious. And, naturally, anything that grabs the interest of the public has been carefully documented throughout popular culture. The Pope is no exception. Here are some of the greatest Pope references that popular culture has to offer.
1) Eurotrip (2004)
An uncanny set of circumstances leads two American teenagers to unknowingly ring the Bell of St. Marco signifying the death of a Pope, before setting the Pope’s hat on fire and throwing it into a fireplace which sets out the white smoke indicating the choosing of a new Pope. The American students cause the commotion when one of them gets tangled in a curtain while still wearing a Pope hat and stumbles out onto the Vatican balcony leaving the crowd below to joyously declare him ‘the new Pope.’
2) The Da Vinci Code (2006)
The Da Vinci Code, in its time, generated a largely negative response from the Catholic Church. Perhaps because it suggests that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had three children with her. Or maybe it’s because it depicts the Pope and the Church in general as desperate to get their hands on the Holy Grail – so desperate, in fact, that they were willing to exterminate the Templars completely.
3) Naked Gun 33 1/3 The Final Insult (1994)
This comedic film starring Leslie Nielsen makes our list because the Pope in the film is played by Eugene Greytak, a man who resembles Pope John Paul II so strongly he even got the Pope’s permission to play him in various parades, movies and television shows. His appearance in Naked Gun 33 1/3 is a short one, but he sure made a remarkable career out of impersonating the Pope including appearances in films such as Sister Act and television shows like The Golden Girls and Ally McBeal.
4) Pope Joan (2009)
A little more controversy for the Vatican to deal with. In 2009, the film Pope Joan told the story of real-life female Pope who is said to have ruled sometime in the Middle Ages. In the film, she is played by actress Johanna Wokalek, while the film itself sparked much debate as to whether the legendary Pope Joan ever actually existed. Many religious figures believe her to have been nothing more than a Medieval myth.
5) Elizabeth (1998)
John Gielgud plays Pope Pius V in this biographical film about the life of Queen Elizabeth I. As the film suggests, the Pope and the Queen were not friendly, thanks to the Pope’s insistence on plotting against her and eventually declaring her a heretic. Not that this stopped Elizabeth.
6) The Pope Must Die (1991)
This satirical comedy sees the Pope being played by Robbie Coltrane, who is mistakenly elected as leader and has to spend the majority of the film escaping the murderous arm of the mafia. The suggestion that the Vatican is controlled by the mafia, that a priest could be into cars and women and that a low-ranking priest could be mistakenly declared Pope gave the film its own share of controversies, particularly as many advertisers refused to promote it.
7) Monty Python (1982)
Who could forget John Cleese’s depiction of a Pope who doesn’t remember Michelangelo and fails to recognise a kangaroo having been painted into The Last Supper? He certainly is a Pope who knows what he wants, however. As he puts it, ‘I want a last supper with one Christ, twelve disciples, no kangaroos, no trampoline acts, by Thursday lunch, or you don’t get paid!’
8) Lisztomania (1975)
Even one of The Beatles tried his hand at being a Pope! The 1975 film Lisztomania featured none other than Ringo Starr playing a Pope sporting a pointy moustache, extravagant clothes and a pair of boots with spurs. The film coined the term ‘Pope Ringo.’
9) Pope John Paul II (2005)
Jon Voight plays Pope John Paul II in this TV miniseries which follows the life of the late Pope, all the way from his early years in Poland to his death in 2005. Surprisingly, the series wasn’t hated by the Vatican who reportedly cooperated in the production of the series.
10) Habemus Papam (2011)
Nanni Moretti’s Habemus Papam centers around the election of a new Pope and his relationship with his therapist. Played by Michel Piccoli, this Italian language film delves deeper into the more personal problems that can arise when a man has to take on a responsibility so large.
