On Easter Sunday morning (April 20), on the Popemobile, Pope Francis gave his blessing to thousands of Catholics gathered in St. Peter's Square: "Dear brothers and sisters, may the blessing of Easter be upon them." He devoted himself and worked tirelessly until the last moments of his life.
Popemobiles are special vehicles used to transport the Pope. These models are manufactured by different brands and are all improved to transport the head of the Vatican during public meetings.
According to Vatican News, in the 19th century, Popes used specially designed horse-drawn carriages for transportation. In 1929, Pope Pius XI was the first Pope to switch from horse-drawn carriages to cars, and since then, the concept of Popemobile has been commonly used to refer to cars carrying the Pope.
The car that Pope Francis used was developed based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV. The biggest difference is at the back: instead of the usual seats and trunk, it has three rear seats, with a raised and swiveling middle seat. Where the trunk door is usually located, there is a staircase to enter the car. In bad weather or when extra protection is needed, a roof with a nearly 360-degree view can be installed.
