Photo of the Week

The end of pomp in papal transportation

To give our readers elements to evaluate the enormity of the revolution Pope Francis is making in papal pomp and symbols, today we offer a display of photos showing the means of transportation of nine Popes, which were always dignified, as is proper for one who is the Vicar of Christ on earth.

Even though Paul VI introduced the popemobile, which greatly diminished the sacrality of the Papacy, he and his successors - until Francis - always had ceremonial cars for their official and private use.

Today, we are witnessing an increasing proletarization of the Papacy and the intentional destruction of the symbols of the Papal Monarchy. The goal seems to be the establishment of a Communist Church that corresponds with the desires of a Red Pope.

Below first set of photos, Pius IX poses in a majestic train car as Vatican dignitaries and guards kneel to receive his blessing; Leo XIII rides in his carriage on a daily promenade in the Vatican gardens; Pius X leaves the Vatican Palace for a pastoral visit.

Second set, in 1929 the French Citroen offered a special-built model for Pius XI that included an elegant throne for the Pope, other car companies were also honored to give the Pope their best models; last row, the interior of a 1930 Mercedes Benz offered to him in that year.

Third set, during the war Pius XII accepted a Cadillac and made it the No. 1 car of the Pope, as we see by the license plate - 1-SCV (State City of the Vatican). The next picture documents Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli arriving at the Conclave that would elect him Pope.

Fourth set, John XXIII blesses the Mercedes Benz he just received as a gift; it became the car he always used.

Fifth set, Paul VI used different models of the Mercedes; a luxury Lincoln Continental was placed at his disposal when he visited the United States in 1965. In the last row of this group, the interior of the 1965 Mercedes given to him.

Sixth set, John Paul II also used diiferent models of the Mercedes during his long pontificate.

Seventh set, Benedict XVI was still using a Mercedes in his last days as Pope. Upon his abdication he took this car from the Vatican Palace to the gardens where a helicopter would fly him to Castelgandolfo.

Eighth set, Francis broke completly with this tradition by using the cheapest cars on the market; first row, he enters the front seat of an old Renault; second row, in a Fiat in Brazil; third and fourth rows, in a Ford Focus at the Vatican; in a bus on the way to a retreat.

Last row, after observing this tendency of Pope Francis, the representative of Mercedes Benz, who customarily gifts each Pope with a new popemobile and a new car, chose to give Francis a bicycle instead of a car. He correctly interpreted the "signs of the times"...

Below, Pius IX, Leo XIII and St. Pius X