.jpg)
popemobile
Sign in to savethumb|Pope Francis in a Jeep J8 in [[Washington, D.C. during his September 2015 visit]] The popemobile (Latin: papacinetum or papocinetum; Italian: papamobile) is a specially designed motor vehicle used by the pope for public appearances. It is the successor to the sedia gestatoria (portable throne) and is designed to make the pope more visible when greeting large crowds.
Article
8 sectionsContents
- History
- Usage by John Paul II
- Usage by Benedict XVI
- Usage by Francis
- Usage by Leo XIV
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|Pope Francis in a Jeep J8 in [[Washington, D.C. during his September 2015 visit]] The popemobile (Latin: papacinetum or papocinetum; Italian: papamobile) is a specially designed motor vehicle used by the pope for public appearances. It is the successor to the sedia gestatoria (portable throne) and is designed to make the pope more visible when greeting large crowds.
There have been many different designs for the pope's method of vehicular transport. Some are open-air, while others have bulletproof glass walls to enclose the pope, deemed necessary following the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II. Some allow the pope to sit, while others are designed to accommodate him standing. The Roman Curia selects an appropriate vehicle for each usage depending upon the level of security needed, distance and speed of travel, and the pope's preferences.