My Pope Philippines – August 2018

St. Peter's Square

inspection of the apartment on

the third floor of the Apostolic

Palace, where previous popes

had lived. The current Pontiff

was shocked when he saw what

the place was like. “The Papal

Apartment is like a reversed

funnel. It is large and spacious,

but the entrance is really

narrow. People enter in a trickle

and I can’t live without people,”

Pope Francis revealed in an

interview. “A professor asked

me this question: 'Why don’t

you live there?' I answered,

‘Listen to me, professor, it’s

due to psychiatric reasons—it’s

my personality.'” What can we

say? He’s a people person who

definitely feels happier with

others around him!

ENTERING CASA

SANTA MARTA

To access Casa Santa Marta,

it’s better to enter the Vatican

from the Perugino Gate—a side

entrance that’s often used by

suppliers. You go down a steep

street: at the end of it you’re in

front of the gas station, and to

the right there is a small square

named Santa Marta. Initially,

cars were forbidden to park

around the Pope’s residence.

But when Lolo Kiko heard

that this caused more trouble

for visitors, he asked that the

parking be reinstated.

Flanking the door of the Pope’s

home are two Swiss Guards.

And, if you look up, you will see

the window of room 201, where

the Pope lives. You would easily

recognize it: It is right smack in

the center of the second floor,

with Vatican flags above it.

Two sliding glass doors lead to

the house, and upon entering,

you walk into a large foyer, a sort

of hotel lobby with armchairs

and sofas because it is, after

all, the residence for transient

priests and bishops! At the

end you will find the reception

area, where you’ll meet the

beautiful Harmony, the fiancée

of Alessandro, a member of the

Vatican Gendarmerie Corps.

Harmony is a devoted fan of

the Pope—she remembers

THE ENTRANCE OF

CASA SANTA MARTA

A Hotel for the Curia (Right) A Swiss Guard stands at
attention to greet Pope Francis as he exits his residence.
Aside from being the residence for the conclave, Casa
Santa Marta is usually the residence assigned to the staff
of the Roman Curia. It serves as a “hotel” for bishops and
cardinals visiting the Pope.