Special Inside Look
Three-in-One The chapel where Pope
Francis celebrates Mass is triangular
shaped, just like all its decorations. The
triangles represent the Most Holy Trinity,
and the Leonine Wall's remains can be
seen through the windows.The Pope’s Corner
The Santo Papa's
table used to be at
the center of the
dining hall until
he asked to be in
a more secluded
area to avoid
calling attention
to himself.how the Santo Papa helped her
remain strong when her fiancé
underwent a complex surgery.
At the end of the lobby is a
chapel that is dedicated to the
Holy Spirit, where Pope Francis
celebrates Mass every morning
at 7 am. The triangular chapel
was designed by an American
architect, Louis Astorino. You
will notice that the design
patterns are triangular too, a
metaphor of the Holy Trinity.
The chapel can hold up to 170
people, out of which 120 can be
seated. While the interiors are
elegant—with marble floorings
and wooden seats—they are
also without excesses.
WHERE HE BREAKS
BREADFrom the ground floor, you
enter the dining room. It is
well lit, with round tables and
a crucifix hanging on
the rear wall. Initially,
the Pope’s table was
placed at the center of
the dining room. Thus, every
time the Holy Pontiff would
enter or leave, all those present
would stand as a sign of respect.
Of course Pope Francis didn’t
want to cause such a ruckus,
so he had his table placed in a
corner instead. It is now located
to the left of the entrance in a
more secluded area.Meals in the dining hall of
Santa Marta are usually served
at both 1 and 8 pm. “The Pope
doesn’t ask for anything in
particular,” related Gabriele,
one of the five cooks in the
kitchen. But he does like soups
and vegetables, and boy, does
he love dessert! This shouldn't
come as a surprise to My Pope
readers who know that Lolo
Kiko loves alfajores!APARTMENT 201: TWO
ROOMS AND A STUDIO
In Casa Santa Marta, there are
106 suites, 22 single rooms, and
an official apartment. During
the conclave, Cardinal Jorge
Mario Bergoglio was assigned
to room 207. When he was
elected, Pope Francis moved
to apartment 201, and he has
never transferred. It is a suite
of about 50 square meters on
the second floor, overlooking a
small plaza that leads to the back
entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica.
It is composed of a living room
with two armchairs and one
sofa, a library, one desk, and a
crucifix. The style is definitelysimple. Right next to the
small living room, you’ll
see the bedroom, which has
a closet, a small table, and a
bed made of dark wood.In order to receive guests,
the Pope was also given
the adjacent room, which
he uses as his study. Swiss
Guards and gendarmes are
posted outside the door, but
if they can keep people out,
they certainly can’t keep
a certain someone in—the
Holy Pontiff himself! You
see, Pope Francis loves to
roam freely around the
residence, his beloved
boarding house. PHOTO FROM AGF, COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG (JOHANNES MÜLLER), FREEPIK, GETTY IMAGES, LA PRESSE, MONDADORI PORTFOLIO (GALAZKA), ILARIA SANTINI (MAP), AND VATICAN MEDIA.