It's a sign of the times.

The conclave that begins next Wednesday to elect a successor for Pope Francis is the first in 46 ½ years for which the Vatican hasn't ordered a new cassock for the new head of the Catholic Church.

For decades, one Rome tailor has been making the white cassock new popes don immediately after election -- but this conclave it has competition. Skip to main content ...

With a slow but steady pace, he heads toward the workshop, located at the back of the building, where, amid spools of thread, white fabrics, and patterns, the cassock, sash, and skullcap ...

Catholic priest Fr Kelvin Ugwu sheds light on the significance of the "Room of Tears" at the Vatican. He shares why the room, close to the Sistine Chapel, contains three cassocks of varying sizes ...

The conclave that begins Wednesday to elect a successor for Pope Francis is the first in 46 ½ years for which the Vatican hasn't ordered a new cassock for the new head of the Catholic Church ...

The conclave that begins next Wednesday to elect a successor for Pope Francis is the first in 46 ½ years for which the Vatican hasn’t ordered a set of cassocks for the new head of the Catholic ...

The conclave that begins next Wednesday to elect a successor for Pope Francis is the first in 46 ½ years for which the Vatican hasn’t ordered a set of cassocks for the new head of the Catholic ...

The conclave that begins next Wednesday to elect a successor for Pope Francis is the first in 46 ½ years for which the Vatican hasn’t ordered a set of cassocks for the new head of the Catholic ...

The conclave that begins next Wednesday to elect a successor for Pope Francis is the first in 46 ½ years for which the Vatican hasn’t ordered a set of cassocks for the new head of the Catholic ...

The conclave that begins next Wednesday to elect a successor for Pope Francis is the first in 46 ½ years for which the Vatican hasn't ordered a set of cassocks for the new head of the Catholic ...