Why is Pope Benedict sneaking out of the Vatican at night to visit his old apartment for hours at a time? The Daily Telegraph reports that an Italian newspaper claims this is what the Holy Father has been doing.
At about 9pm a plain, dark car carrying 78-year-old Pope Benedict and his private secretary, Don Georg Gaenswein, swirls out of a side door of Vatican city. It then doubles round in the back streets before arriving at 1 Piazza Citta Leonina, a hall of residence for senior Church figures and the Pope’s home as a cardinal for almost 24 years.
A Vatican security guard is always waiting in front of the apartments in a pedestrian zone tucked behind St Peter’s Square. The Pope gets out of the car disguised in the plain black priest’s robes he wore when he was the Catholic Church’s senior theologian.
Wearing a black hat and with his head down, he opens the wooden door himself, as he did for all those years, and tiptoes inside followed by Don Georg.
They speculate that he’s hankering after his old life of being a cardinal, that he wants to get away from the Vatican.
I think the explanation is probably rather simple. Recall that the Holy Father loves cats and owns several of them and he wasn’t allowed to bring them with him to the Vatican.
He’s obviously visiting his cats.
Technorati Tags: pope, Pope Benedict, Vatican
Why would he need to use an undercover operation to visit his cats?
Because a public figure cannot just go out on the town without creating a mob scene. If people knew—and thanks to the newspaper they do now—then there would be crowds waiting for him.
Maybe the poor guy’s just homesick. Does anyone know why he can’t just say, “The cats come with me”? Who’s in charge there, anyway?
Good question Brian G; inquiring minds have wondered who IS running the show over there. With more rooms than the Waldorf, you’d think ther’d be room for a couple of cats and a litter box. Considering some of the humans who trod the corridors of the Vatican, I doubt that a couple of cats will contaminate it.
Not only is it illogical to claim that the cats can’t live at the Vatican, orthodox, but also consider why would there be a need to visit the cats? If he wants to see his cats, all he would have to do is tell his staff to go get them and bring them to the Vatican. Then send them back when he’s finished with them. Cats are hardly immovable objects. It would be far easier to bring the cats to him than it is for him to go to the cats considering what Dom has pointed out about the crowd he’d draw. It would also take less of his time.
For whatever reason, he wants to go to the place where he used to live, but I seriously doubt it has anything to do with cats. What else is there?
Why does he appear to be wearing a white satin suit in the Santa hat picture in that news article?
remember that italian newspapers are not the world’s most reliable
You’re right. He’s probably going to a secret meeting of the International Ecumenical and Occult Cartel.
Didn’t you forget the smiley? I presume you don’t expect to be taken seriously.
No, Carrie, I’m serious. He’s a member of the International Ecumenical and Occult Cartel, along with the Queen, the Rothschilds, and Colonel Sanders before he went toes up.
Arrogance’s name is “the ‘papal’ blogger” (Whispers…). He now prides himself over the piece of news The Telegraph reported on Saturday, saying that it is not news for him, since he reported it in June.
IT WAS NOT NEWS THEN! A thousand different outlets mentioned the Pope’s visit to his apartment at the time, since he was in a personal transition. But the Papal Apartment has been completely refurbished (a reform completed in late December, and thanked by him) and his RECENT visits, in the PAST THREE WEEKS, are news NOW.
Sheesh…someone needs a modesty pill…
Awww gee! I was sure it was Dominos Pizza.
Old folks really don’t like to move.
Maybe he’s visiting the neighbors. And you guys are right. For his safety, they really need to bring the cats, neighbors and books to him.
Cats, dear as they are, might not be compatible with some of the furnishings in the papal apartments. I mean, you don’t want a cat clawing the legs (or Heaven forbid, the cushions) of antiques. It could be a matter of protecting some of the Church’s cultural patrimony.
“Bring the cats, neighbors, and books to him”? This could turn into a sitcom! But I think a lot of the Pope’s books have been brought already: B16 told the builders it was like being surrounded by old friends.
Cats can be declawed. Most domesticated ones are.
Isn’t a pope covertly sneaking around in black clothing something of a sitcom already? As for the neighbors, don’t we call that a papal audience? JPII had guests for nearly every meal, or so I read.
Knowing well the location of this apartment and its proximity to the papal apartments, I do not find it terribly unusual at all that he would want to get out of the Vatican for a few hours a week. Honestly, I’m glad to see the poor man get the opportunity. When he was Cardinal Ratzinger, I used to see him at Armando’s, just around the corner from his apartment, drinking an orange Fanta and eating pasta. It must be a bit annoying at times not to be able to go and come as he pleases.
While I was reading this post, Dom, I was coming to the conclusion you came to. He’s chillin’ with the kitties.
Although, there are plenty of stray cats around Rome. As Pope, though, he’d have a much more difficult time visiting them at night like he did as Cardinal Ratzinger.
Cats can be declawed. Most domesticated ones are.
Probably not in Europe, as declawing is illegal or at least considered unethical in several countries, including Italy and Germany. I think it’s a bad practice for the reasons indicated here.
Shades of Anthony Quinn in The Shoes of the Fisherman.
Sneaking out to be normal.
It could be cats. I’m a cat guy. I would probably leave them in the old place they knew and go to feed them while my new crib was being remodeled. They would be freaking out and hiding in the walls and getting in the way and all anyway.
I think Benedict should be on that MTV (or is it BET?) show Cribs. Come to think of it, the Popemobile(s) could be on Monster Garage or Pimp My Ride. (But keep an eye out for the red shoes in the home videos of kitty-cats on Animal Planet.)
The interminable attempts at one-upmanship and self-congratulatory back-patting by certain bloggers, who shall remain nameless – but sussurri in Italian would be enlightening (qui legit, intelligat) – is becoming odious.
It is similar to the screaming of the local TV stations trying to out-do one another: “We have MORE news!” We have MORE BREAKING news…!” “We have MORE BREAKING NEWS AND WEATHER…!” “Our Doppler is bigger than their Doppler!” and so on.
As St. Paul might have put it: “Good blogging envieth not…vaunteth not itself…is not puffed up…”
I remember thinking when he was elected that as glad as I am he is pope and as good as I think it is for the Church, it is an amazing sacrifice for him. He just wanted to retire to his native Bavaria where he could read and write and relax. Obviously God had other plans and we still need him. But I understand the impulse to sneak away from all the pomp and ceremony of the Vatican, from all the weight of the papacy, and just for an hour or two kick off the shoes of Peter and be simple Father Joseph, sitting in his old apartment with a cat on his lap reading a book. Cause if it were me that’s what I’d want to do.
Not only is it illogical to claim that the cats can’t live at the Vatican, orthodox, but also consider why would there be a need to visit the cats? If he wants to see his cats, all he would have to do is tell his staff to go get them and bring them to the Vatican. Then send them back when he’s finished with them. Cats are hardly immovable objects. It would be far easier to bring the cats to him than it is for him to go to the cats considering what Dom has pointed out about the crowd he’d draw. It would also take less of his time.
Miss Carrie (and michigancatholic):
Cats are animals very attached to a particular piece of territory, and find travel disarranging. Put a cat in an automobile and you will likely see it cry, move around agitatedly, cower, urinate, or some combination thereof. If he is concerned with the welfare of his cats he will move them to the Vatican apartments and allow them to accustom themselves to a new territory (and this may take three months) or leave them where they are and visit them periodically. Having them subject to frequent travel (in the company of strangers no less) is to make them miserable.
“De-clawing” is a procedure for veterinarians on the make and for people who prefer their furniture to their pets.
Dom, how could you forget the “Gettys”?
I don’t care if they have cats in the Vatican. They let more dangerous critters in every day, I”m sure. Some of them are even from here!
Actually, Art, I used to have a cat, and have befriended neighborhood cats for years.
Theoretically cats don’t like motion, but one of the neighbor cats loved to sit in our lawn swing; and the higher you pushed it, the better he liked it. My aunt’s cat made regular trips to Florida for the winter and back up north for the summer in a car. My own cat tolerated riding in a car.
I’m a firm believer in declawing, myself. My cat was not declawed, and she caused lots of trouble in the house by climbing everything from drapes to concrete walls.
Cats, like people, each have their own unique personalities.
That’s the Pentaveret you’re talking about, isn’t it???
Next on MTV’s “Cribs”: We get down and get real with B16, a really dope pope!
(Presenter): Yo, B, this is a big-ass place you got here. Not a lot of furniture, though. I was expecting a lot more bling, more heavy, carved, old stuff, you know?
(Pope):Vell, ze idea here is really simplicity. Ze popes, over many centuries, zey haf received many precious works of art and pieces of furniture, but most of zose today are in the Vatican Museum. Ve only keep here in ze palace a few pieces to aid devotion.
(Presenter): Yeah, like this rippin’ tapestry of Jesus’ Mother entering heaven. Is that a wack scene or what? Amazing. I see what you mean, though, all the other white walls make you concentrate on this.
(Pope): Yes, zis is ze idea.
(Presenter): Kind of a neo-monastic simplicity, man – like it’s post-post-pre-post-modern, know what I’m saying?
(Pope): (Slightly confused) Ah, no.
(Presenter): Yeah, dude, like in “The Matrix” I when Neo met Laurence Fishburne for the first time, and that house was all, like, really nice, but not, you know, full of furniture, it really made you concentrate on Laurence Fishburne and was he a bad guy or a good guy – cause of course you don’t know the first time you see “The Matrix” – –
(Pope): (Cutting in) Yes, perhaps zis is something like ze same idea.
(Presenter): All right, man! Now, here’s some footage of the apartment B had before he was pope. Homes, what’s up with the cats?
(Pope): Zere are so many lost cats in Roma und I like them, so when I have ze opportunity at last for my own house, I take in some. I’m only sad not to have them here.
(Presenter): Yeah, what’s up with that?
(Pope): Vell, ve are remodeling here, und also Cardinal Sodano says he is very allergic to ze cats.
(Presenter): Do you like being pope?
(Pope): It’s good to be ze pope.
(Presenter): After the break, we’ll check out His Holiness’ own private chapel, and next time we’ll get a peek at his summer getaway, Castel Gandolfo! And next on “Pimp My Ride”, the boys will be checkin’ out the Popemobile. Dude, can I just say, it is so cool that you have a “Popemobile”?
(Pope): (Smiling) Yes, zis is, as you say, “cool”.
(Presenter): Yo, B dawg!!! Don’t go away, y’all, we’ll be back with His Eminent Coolness, B16!
““De-clawing” is a procedure for veterinarians on the make and for people who prefer their furniture to their pets.”
Yes. I doubt any of us would want any of fingers removed at the knuckle which is what basically happens when a cat is ‘declawed’.
Most indoor cats are not declawed. They do however, need something to scratch on, like a scratching post. I just have one stubborn cat(of three) who insists on clawing on the quilt on our bed. Because I make quilts and value them as ‘works of art’/heirlooms
I will not make a quilt for our bed till Bebop is at the Rainbow Bridge.
I agree with Dom. He’s visiting the cats. I miss mine when we just go away for a long weekend.
New Catholic,
‘Arrogance’s name is the Papal blogger (Whispers)
How right you are!!! That Rocco guy is REALLY a very egotisical and arrogant young man………..
But back to the topic in hand; is Benedict sneaking back to the old apartment by night. I think it should be discovered who actually lives in Benedict’s old apartment now, and that may tell us something as to why he would do this (IF HE DOES THIS) I think it is very likely that it is something to do with work which is why he takes Don Georg with him. It could be he was visiting the new doctrinal chief William Levada who has recently moved into the building.
I don’t believe for one moment he is going back there for cats or nostalgia reasons.