Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88, leaving a huge void in the Catholic church. While we search for his successor, everyone is still fixated on obtaining this unique view into the Vatican’s private life.
By speaking out against climate change and warning about the possible risks of artificial intelligence, Pope Francis demonstrated that he was more tech-savvy than his predecessors. He gained notoriety for scuttling around in his Popemobile, which was entirely electric.
Even though the Pope received a Lamborghini Huracán as a gift, it wasn’t his go-to vehicle. Rather, Francis was frequently seen driving the aforementioned Popemobile or a more affordable Fiat 500.
After Pope John Paul II was assassinated in 1981, the Popemobile was rebuilt to resemble an enclosed throne, which you have probably all seen.or a portaloo made of perspex.
Since the first Popemobile was created in 1930, Mercedes-Benz has produced a number of papal vehicles. In December 2024, the company will produce the first electric Popemobile, completing the circle. As we get ready to welcome a new Pope, there are concerns over what will happen to Pope Francis’ former whip, despite the Vatican’s pledge to electrify all Popemobiles by 2030.
In order to aid sick and undernourished children in Gaza, Pope Francis decided before his death that the all-electric Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen should be converted into a mobile clinic.
Vatican News describes the $500,000 truck as Pope Francis’ “final gift to Gaza,” describing how Jerusalem NGO Caritas Jerusalem would transform it into a type of field ambulance.
Pope Francis reportedly said: “Children are not numbers. They are faces. Names. Stories. And each one is sacred.”
The new and improved Popemobile will include “equipment for diagnosis, examination, and treatment – including rapid tests for infections, diagnostic instruments, vaccines, suture kits, and other life-saving supplies.” Doctors and medics will staff it, hoping to reach children in the ‘most isolated’ corners of Gaza.
Peter Brune, Secretary General of Caritas Sweden, said: “With the vehicle, we will be able to reach children who today have no access to health care – children who are injured and malnourished.”
“This is a concrete, life-saving intervention at a time when the health system in Gaza has almost completely collapsed.”
Brune concluded, “It’s not just a vehicle. It’s a message that the world has not forgotten about the children in Gaza.” His words were echoed by Anton Asfar, Secretary General of Caritas Jerusalem, who added, “This vehicle represents the love, care and closeness shown by His Holiness for the most vulnerable, which he expressed throughout the crisis.”
Having visited the Holy Land in 2014 in a separate Popemobile, Pope Francis was no stranger to the region. An embargo has mainly stopped supplies from entering the Gaza Strip, even though vehicle moderation is in place.
The good news is that the Popemobile should still have plenty of life left because an electric G 580’s battery may last up to 20 years and 150,000 kilometres.
