Posted on 03/26/2013 11:48:33 AM PDT by NYer
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis has decided not to move into the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace, but to live in a suite in the Vatican guesthouse where he has been since the beginning of the conclave that elected him, said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman.
"He is experimenting with this type of living arrangement, which is simple," but allows him "to live in community with others," both the permanent residents -- priests and bishops who work at the Vatican -- as well as guests coming to the Vatican for meetings and conferences, Father Lombardi said March 26.
The spokesman said Pope Francis has moved out of the room he drew by lot before the conclave and into Suite 201, a room that has slightly more elegant furnishings and a larger living room where he can receive guests.
The Domus Sanctae Marthae, the official name of the guesthouse, was built in 1996 specifically to house cardinals during a conclave.
Celebrating Mass March 26 with the residents and guests, Pope Francis told them he intended to stay, Father Lombardi said. The permanent residents, who had to move out during the conclave, had just returned to their old rooms.
Pope Francis has been there since his election March 13, taking his meals in the common dining room downstairs and celebrating a 7 a.m. Mass with Vatican employees in the main chapel of the residence.
He will be the first pope in 110 years not to live in the papal apartments on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace.
In 1903, St. Pius X became the first pope to live in the apartments overlooking St. Peter's Square. The apartments were completely remodeled by Pope Paul VI in 1964 and have undergone smaller modifications by each pope since, according to "Mondo Vaticano," a Vatican-published mini-encyclopedia about Vatican buildings, offices and tradition.
The large living room or salon of the apartment is located directly above the papal library where official audiences with visiting bishops and heads of state are held.
Pope Francis will continue to use the library for official audiences and to recite the Angelus prayer on Sundays and holy days from the apartment window overlooking St. Peter's Square, Father Lombardi said.
The apartments contain a chapel, an office for the pope and a separate office for his secretaries, the pope's bedroom, a dining room, kitchen and rooms for two secretaries and for the household staff.
When Pope Francis returned to the guesthouse after his election, Father Lombardi had said the move was intended to be short-term while a few small work projects were completed in the papal apartments. He said March 26 that all the work had been completed, but at least for the foreseeable future, Pope Francis would not move in.
The Domus Sanctae Marthae, named after St. Martha, is a five-story building on the edge of Vatican City.
While offering relative comfort, the residence is not a luxury hotel. The building has 105 two-room suites and 26 singles; about half of the rooms are occupied by the permanent residents. Each suite has a sitting room with a desk, three chairs, a cabinet and large closet; a bedroom with dresser, night table and clothes stand; and a private bathroom with a shower.
The rooms all have telephones and access to an international satellite television system.
The building also has a large meeting room and a variety of small sitting rooms. In addition to the dining room and the main chapel, it also has four private chapels, located at the end of hallways on the third and fifth floors of each of the building's two wings.
Wow! Is this how Free Republic is seen? You've been here HOW long??? JFTR....you seem like a reasonably nice person and I never try to personally slander or hurt anyone here. HOWEVER...there are numerous issues with the Catholic Church with which I disagree and coming on threads and having the freedom to discuss them is part of what I appreciate about FR and continue to support it every month. Some of the replies from "your" side have been anything BUT civil, reasonable OR, even, Christian. Perhaps the remedy for hair-trigger defensiveness is to avoid OPEN Religion Forum threads that can and DO get contentious at times. There's been plenty of warning. Have a blessed day.
I think there’s pretty high security already, since the building has a number of permanent Vatican employee clergy residents and also is used to host high-profile guests. Having seen a photo of the room, I’d say that while while it’s not luxurious, it certainly looks formal and suitable. The building is a relatively new one, so I think facilities and even security will be much easier to maintain there. And it’s literally 2 minutes from there to St Peters Basilica and another minute to the papal apartment, where he will work and receive visitors.
Wow! The largest christian sect in Malta is the Maronite Catholic Church! You could not have picked a better time to experience the rich and profoundly moving liturgies of Passion Week. You can read about them here. All 4 Gospels of Christ's passion are read on Good Friday. There is also a funeral. Don't miss this!
He PERSONALLY called to cancel a newspaper subscription?
Nothing against him, he seems great. But it’s that interpretation of him that infuriates me. Why is it so special that a “man of God” would call and do his own business? Every freaking person I know does. Why is a pope, or cardinal, SO special that if they do something that 99 percent of the rest of us do, it means they’re humble. I canceled my own cable, does that make me humble?
Nothing against the catholic church. Far as I’m concerned they can spend their money how they want and the pope can live like a king. The catholic church is VERY generous to the poor and needy, so i am not complaining about them. I am complaining that people think the pope is God or something.
The Pope is not the one publicizing it. He just wants to live a simpler way. How is that contrived or ridiculous?
You are saying his humility is excessive?
Maybe it’s natural and not excssive.
Are you the arbiter and measurer of Papal humility, or just any peoples’ humility?
Are you licensed, bonded and certified in humbleness testing?
How is he “advertising” his life choices? He makes the choices, and somehow word gets out and newspapers write it up.
I don’t get why you mention “laying the groudowrk fo the simple man”. What on earth makes you think he’s “advertising”?
“Why is it so special that a “man of God” would call and do his own business?”
I do believe he is an idiot, but you are correct. I should not have pointed it out.
I don’t know anyone who thinks that the Pope is God.
What- 100 posts and nobody thinks this is a prudent move in light of the fact that the curia has had nearly a century to bug those papal apartments solid? I guess freepers have given up the tin foil for Lent!
It looks to me that Pope Francis is following the path of how Jesus lived and not immersing himself in the trappings of the office.
I sense he will learn and observe more here and his more public life may impress others to live their life for Jesus.
Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.
Except he's walked this walk for many years. It's being publicized now because he's the Pope, but by all accounts this is merely consistent with the way he's acted his whole life as a priest.
its OK, I aappointed myself the manners police
What a kind Christian heart you have!
A cousin’s 17 year old hemophiliac son died of AIDS. No decision on his part, he simply got a ‘bad’ dose of blood. Lots of stories like that about AIDS patients.
And the circle is complete. QED.
A blogger has coined the term “Totalitarian Humility”. I humbly offer this: “Ostentatious Humility”.
I believe there is an old Jewish saying “Too humble is half proud.”
There is also another relevant saying: “Everyone’s a critic!”
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