Wheels of faith: The evolving legacy of the Popemobile
On Easter Sunday, Pope Francis greeted believers gathered at St Peter’s Square from his iconic Popemobile. It was his first public appearance after being discharged from the hospital, and sadly, his last journey in public.
What is a popemobile?
A popemobile is a custom-made vehicle used by the Pope during public events. It replaced the traditional “sedia gestatoria” (a portable papal throne that had to be carried around), and was created to help the Pope to be more easily seen by large crowds during his public appearances. The first custom-built popemobile was introduced in the 1930’s, but it wasn’t until the papacy of John Paul II that the vehicle gained its iconic status.
Mercedes-Benz holds the record for the most popemobiles produced, though some of the more notable ones have been Lamborghinis. Popemobiles are designed differently: while some are open-air models, others have bulletproof glass walls. The Roman Curia can choose a suitable popemobile for each occasion, based on factors like security requirements, travel distance, speed and the Pope’s personal preferences.
Tracing its history
In the earlier times, popes were carried in a ceremonial chair called the “sedia gestatoria”, which was lifted high on the shoulders of attendants, called Sediari. It was also designed with luxurious fabrics, such as silk and velvet. This ceremonial chair used by the popes fell out of use after Pope Paul VI’s death in 1978.
In the 1800’s, popes used ornate horse-drawn carriages, some of which are now displayed in the Vatican Museums. The Vatican received its first automobile in 1929—a Graham Paige limousine—but the first official popemobile was a 1930 Mercedes-Benz Nurburg 460 Pullman. The term 'popemobile' gained popularity in 1965, when Pope Paul VI used a modified Lincoln Continental in New York.
Pope John Paul II used various popemobiles, starting with a Polish Star 660 truck in 1979 that marked the beginning of evolutions in the popemobiles. In 1981, after an assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II when he was traveling in his 1973 Fiat Campagnola, certain modifications, such as bulletproof glass walls, were introduced.
The different vehicles Pope John Paul II used were custom-build models by Ford, Mercedes-Benz, British Leyland, SEAT and Range Rover. All these vehicles were highly secure in its making.
Pope Francis: A man adorned with simplicity
Pope Francis has consistently embodied humility and simplicity throughout his papacy. One of the most visible signs of this has been his choice of popemobiles. Unlike his predecessors who travelled in enclosed bulletproof vehicles, Pope Francis opted for simpler, modest cars.
Early on in his papacy, he chose a humble Black Fiat 500L while his safety escorts travelled in big SUVs. Even though the Pope had many vehicles, he didn’t travel in quite a few of those, choosing simplicity over sophistication.
When he became the Pope, he was gifted with a second-hand vintage 1984 Renault car by an Italian priest, that he accepted gracefully. In 2025, while he was travelling in America, he chose a black Fiat 500L and later this car was sold for charitable purposes. His popemobiles were:
- Jeep Wrangler – This was used during his Vatican appearances.
- Mercedes-Benz M class – This was used for international trips when more security was required.
- Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Soul - He used these during his visit to South Korea in 2014.
- Isuzu D-Max – He used it during a visit to Philippines.
- Dacia Duster – It was gifted by Renault in 2019.
- Skoda Rapid – This was used in his 2018 tour to Ireland.
- Hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai – This was gifted to him by the Japanese Government in 2020.
In 2024, Pope Francis received a special gift: an electric car that aligned perfectly with his commitment to environmental sustainability. He was riding his cars for purpose, rather than style.
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