The Lord is with Gen Z! Catholic core sweeps TikTok as devout youngsters share their advice for wearing veils, show off their rosary beads and embrace the full Latin mass
- The new trend sweeping TikTok is Catholicism as Gen Z embrace the church
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From Madonna's Like a Prayer video featuring stigmata and a kiss with a saint to Lady Gaga as Mary Magdalene going clubbing with Jesus in her son Judas, Catholic iconography has long been deeply embedded in popular culture.
But Gen Z are taking it one step further with so-called Catholic core sweeping Tiktok, and rather than just borrowing the aesthetic, 18 to 25-year-olds are fully embracing religion.
From showing off their rosary beads to 20-something priests asking their followers to rate 'their fit' on vestments, many are sharing their love of God online.
The beliefs, it seems, as are important as the aesthetic, with people sharing clips of pretty churches, Catholic statues and even church 'OOTD' (outfits of the day), including lace mantillas.
Many sharing their faith online weren't raised Catholics but are converts to the religion.
![Many sharing their faith online weren't raised Catholics but are converts to the religion. Ria Org, 19, from the US, is another Catholic convert who used to be an atheist. She shares clips wearing a lace mantilla with her 40,000 followers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81212355-13074409-Many_sharing_their_faith_online_weren_t_raised_Catholics_but_are-a-52_1707842734913.jpg)
Many sharing their faith online weren't raised Catholics but are converts to the religion. Ria Org, 19, from the US, is another Catholic convert who used to be an atheist. She shares clips wearing a lace mantilla with her 40,000 followers
![From sharing rosary beads to 20-something priests asking their followers to rate 'their fit' on vestments, many are sharing their love of God online. Pictured is Father Sam French, from Australia, who shares very Gen Z-friendly posts](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81167657-13074409-From_sharing_rosemary_beads_to_20_something_priests_asking_their-a-51_1707842719226.jpg)
From sharing rosary beads to 20-something priests asking their followers to rate 'their fit' on vestments, many are sharing their love of God online. Pictured is Father Sam French, from Australia, who shares very Gen Z-friendly posts
![Mel from London, who goes by I Cut My Own Bangs, shares snaps of her 'Catholic looks' online. She is pictured heading to mass at Westminster Cathedral](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/15/81211321-13074409-Mel_from_London_Westminster_Cathedral_was_not_ready-a-19_1707838045891.jpg)
Mel from London, who goes by I Cut My Own Bangs, shares snaps of her 'Catholic looks' online. She is pictured heading to mass at Westminster Cathedral
Maya, 22, who grew up as a 'feminist with purple hair' in Czechia, which she describes as an 'atheist country', has built up a following online going by the 'veiled convert'.
She wears a lace mantilla because she believes 'covering her hair gives all her glory to god', having built up more than 40,000 followers sharing Bible passages and pictures of religious candles, paintings of Saints and rosary beads in her home.
Maya says that she converted after suffering with her mental health during the pandemic and meeting a 'scientist' who was also a convert.
Elsewhere, Gen Z It girl Sabrina Carpenter - rumoured girlfriend of actor Barry Keoghan - recently filmed her video for hit single Feather in a Catholic church, which caused a furore.
![Maya, 22, who grew up as a 'feminist with purple hair' in Czechia, which she describes as an 'atheist country', has built up a following online going by the 'veiled convert'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81211047-13074409-Maya_22_who_grew_up_as_a_feminist_with_purple_hair_in_Czechia_wh-a-53_1707842782068.jpg)
![Maya is pictured now after converting](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81211053-13074409-Maya_is_pictured_now_after_converting-a-54_1707842784083.jpg)
Maya, 22, who grew up as a 'feminist with purple hair' in Czechia, which she describes as an 'atheist country', has built up a following online going by the 'veiled convert'. Pictured before and after converting
![Gen Z It girl Sabrina Carpenter recently filmed her video for hit single Feather in a Catholic church, which seemingly causes a furore. She is pictured at the altar of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Brooklyn](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/78352211-13074409-Carpenter_s_video_has_been_seen_11_million_times_online_since_it-a-40_1707842030794.jpg)
Gen Z It girl Sabrina Carpenter recently filmed her video for hit single Feather in a Catholic church, which seemingly causes a furore. She is pictured at the altar of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Brooklyn
![Gigantiello was ordered to conduct a ¿Mass of Reparation¿ at the Williamsburg church and watch on as his furious bishop sprinkled the altar with holy water to 'repair the harm'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/11/29/00/78347023-12802207-Gigantiello_was_ordered_to_conduct_a_Mass_of_Reparation_at_the_W-a-4_1701219334484.jpg)
Gigantiello was ordered to conduct a 'Mass of Reparation' at the Williamsburg church and watch on as his furious bishop sprinkled the altar with holy water to 'repair the harm'
Monsignor Jamie J Gigantiello issued a grovelling apology and was sacked as church administrator after the former Disney star turned sex siren cavorted in the apse of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Brooklyn.
His furious bishop Robert Brennan was 'appalled' at the video for Feather which has now attracted 11 million views online, sprinkling the altar with holy water as he forced Gigantiello to conduct a 'Mass of Reparation'.
The video shows Carpenter, 24, arrive provocatively dressed at the church in a pink hearse for the 'funeral' of former boyfriends in front of an altar decorated with their pastel coffins, one of which includes the inscription 'RIP B****'.
'I offer my sincere apologies for this shameful representation which I whole-heartedly denounce,' Gigantiello told his parishioners in a letter posted on Facebook.
![youraveragecatholic, from teh US, racked up from the US, 13K folloewrs](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/14/09/81167689-13074409-youraveragecatholic_from_teh_US_racked_up_from_the_US_13K_folloe-a-1_1707901713952.jpg)
Another Gen Z woman, who goes by youraveragecatholic, from the US, has racked up 13,000 followers on TikTok
![Other users, including Anna from the US, have shared clips of their 'aesthetic'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/15/81211219-13074409-image-a-12_1707837732512.jpg)
Other users, including Anna from the US, have shared clips of their 'aesthetic'
![Jessica Madrigal from Mexico, shares snaps of the 'Mexican Catholic look' as well as her church fits](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/15/81212369-13074409-Jessica_Madrigal_from_Mexico-a-26_1707839357579.jpg)
Jessica Madrigal from Mexico, shares snaps of the 'Mexican Catholic look' as well as her church fits
![Maggie Craig Ministries, from Southern California, shared videos from Catholic Camp, showing how she parties with nuns including water gun fights, she's racked up 4.5milliion likes on TikTok](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81212367-13074409-Maggie_Craig_Ministries_Southern_California_shared_videos_from_C-m-38_1707841997441.jpg)
![Maggie Craig also shared clips of dancing priests](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81212359-13074409-ff-a-39_1707842002370.jpg)
Maggie Craig Ministries, from Southern California, shared videos from Catholic Camp, showing how she parties with nuns including water gun fights, she's racked up 4.5milliion likes on TikTok
![Delphine Chui, now 34, has seen more and more Gen Zers going to her church St Bede's in Clapham](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81211065-13074409-image-a-47_1707842260215.jpg)
Delphine Chui, now 34, has seen more and more Gen Zers going to her church St Bede's in Clapham
![St Bede's church in Clapham has a congregation with the average age of 22](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81211067-13074409-St_Bede_s_church_in_Clapham-a-49_1707842287033.jpg)
St Bede's church in Clapham has a congregation with the average age of 22
'I agreed to the filming after a general search of the artists involved did not reveal anything questionable.'
The priest, who has served at the Victorian church for 29 years said he granted permission for the video in a bid to 'further strengthen the bonds between the young creative artists who make up a large part of this community'.
The church originally claimed Carpenter's team 'failed to accurately represent the video content'.
But that did not wash with his Bronx-born bishop who concluded that he was told enough to know the video would feature 'inappropriate behaviour unsuitable for a church sanctuary'.
Elsewhere, Aussie TikTok star John is Catholic, 20, has racked up more than 100,000 TikTok followers for sharing videos about religion.
In one clip he uses cricket to explain the difference between Protestantism and Catholicism.
John's priest is Father Sam French, 30, who shares very Gen Z friendly clips.
In one, he asks his followers to rate his fit, asks people to 'hmu' (hit him up) after mass, and says religious references in songs are 'fire'.
He's racked up nearly a million views on TikTok for the fun videos.
In one popular clip, he walks into a house with an elderly woman, with the Ghostbusters theme blaring, to perform an exorcism.
But inside he set the fire alarm off with too much incense and overs someone in holy water.
'If you'd asked me 12 months ago about social media, I would have said it's toxic and I would still say that today,' Father French told Catholic Weekly.
![One TikTok star shared a clip of her taking a picture of her Bible shared by the Array of Hope ministries online](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81164627-13074409-One_TikTok_star_shared_a_clip_of_her_taking_a_picture_of_her_Bib-a-58_1707843430900.jpg)
One TikTok star shared a clip of her taking a picture of her Bible shared by the Array of Hope ministries online
![Maya, 22, wears a lace mantilla as she believes 'covering her hair gives all her glory to god', having built up more than 40,000 followers sharing Bible passages and pictures of religious candles, paintings of Saints and rosary beads in her home](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81211055-13074409-Maya_22_wears_a_lace_mantilla_as_she_believes_covering_her_hair_-a-61_1707843488410.jpg)
Maya, 22, wears a lace mantilla as she believes 'covering her hair gives all her glory to god', having built up more than 40,000 followers sharing Bible passages and pictures of religious candles, paintings of Saints and rosary beads in her home
![Many TikTokers have shared clips of their 'Catholic' items online](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81211057-13074409-f-a-60_1707843479693.jpg)
![Marnie's creation shared a pictured of her Bible online](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/16/81212353-13074409-marniescreation-a-59_1707843468242.jpg)
Many TikTokers have shared clips of their 'Catholic' items online, Maya's rosary beads are pictured
'I think there's a lot of danger associated with social media, and it probably is a net negative for youth culture and for society.
'But I cannot escape the fact that that's where young people are. This is basically mission territory.' he added.
'I think what draws Gen Z to Catholicism is how radically different it is to our modern secular culture. Where the secular culture pushes us toward infidelity, Catholicism encourages monogamous, loving relationships. Where culture draws us toward over-indulgent consumerism, Catholicism inspires us to be temperate and find satisfaction in what truly matters — our relationship with Christ,' she said.
She has also seen more people embrace traditional Latin mass, or TLM.
'I think there's a big kind of trad aesthetic. I think Gen Z are drinking less these days, sleeping around much less — they're much more conservative than millennials. A lot of my younger friends in their 20s are married with children,' she added.
![Father Sam French, 30, from Australia says social media is his 'mission' place to bring people to the church](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/19/81164621-13074409-Father_Sam_French_30_from_Australia_says_social_media_is_his_mis-a-38_1707851193029.jpg)
Father Sam French, 30, from Australia says social media is his 'mission' place to bring people to the church
![The Priest shares clips of very Gen-Z heavy clips, including using internet slang to ask 'what's happening' after Mass](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/19/81164629-13074409-The_Priest_shares_clips_of_very_Gen_Z_heavy_clips_including_usin-a-37_1707851191037.jpg)
The Priest shares clips of very Gen-Z heavy clips, including using internet slang to ask 'what's happening' after Mass
![Elsewhere, Aussie TikTok star John is Catholic, 20, has racked up more than 100,000 TikTok followers for sharing videos about religion](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/19/81164605-13074409-Elsewhere_Aussie_TikTok_star_John_is_Catholic_20_has_racked_up_m-a-39_1707851204332.jpg)
Elsewhere, Aussie TikTok star John is Catholic, 20, has racked up more than 100,000 TikTok followers for sharing videos about religion
Chui says her church, which practices TLM, has a median age of 22.
And the youth appeal of Catholicism for the youth appears to be international.
Maggie Craig, from Southern California, shares videos from Catholic Camp, showing how she goes to summer camps where she parties with nuns including having water gun fights, her videos have racked up 4.5 million likes.
Ria Org, 19, also from the US, is another Catholic convert who shares clips wearing a lace mantilla.
In her TikTok clips, she explains how she use to be an atheists. She has racked up 40,000 followers.
Another American, who just goes by Your Average Catholic, has racked up 13,000 followers with her videos about the church.
More than 910 million views have racked up on #darkcatholicismaesthetic on TikTok, while #catholic has 9 billion views.
![Viki, from New York, also shares clips of her 'Roman Catholic' lifestyle](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/19/81220975-13074409-image-a-33_1707851065434.jpg)
Viki, from New York, also shares clips of her 'Roman Catholic' lifestyle
![Andrew Scott found fame with his role as the 'hot priest' on smash hit Fleabag,](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/13/19/81220999-13074409-Andrew_Scott_found_fame_with_his_role_as_the_hot_priest_on_smash-a-40_1707851210995.jpg)
Andrew Scott found fame with his role as the 'hot priest' on smash hit Fleabag,
It's leaked into TV too. Andrew Scott found fame with his role as the 'hot priest' on smash hit Fleabag, which has led to the emergence of many real life 'hot priests'.
Pat Allerton, a vicar in Notting Hill, became popular on Instagram with his trendy take on religion during lockdown.
The handsome vicar took to the streets of the city to 'take church to the people', playing Amazing Grace on speakers in residential streets before inviting residents to pray.
He told Tatler: 'I’m here for everyone, religious or not. I simply want people to know that even in the darkest valley there is light, there is hope and there is a God that’s here to help.'
Elsewhere, Rev Christopher Lee, from west London, grew fame from '60-second sermons'.
The married father of two daughters is adamant they follow him for the power of the gospels and not due to his appearance.
Yet barrels of female followers post comments such as 'I love you' and 'you just keep blowing my mind' as well as putting numerous love heart emojis under his pictures.
He told the Times: 'It's never a horrible thing to be told you're good-looking, but I think most people follow me because of my content, because I speak to them on a deeper level.'