Pope Leo XIV and the surprise visit in the van

"I have wanted so much to come here in these first days of the new ministry that the Church has given me, to carry out this mission as the successor of Peter". These are the words of Pope Leo XIV at the sanctuary of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, a municipality southeast of Rome, pronounced on the afternoon of Saturday 10 May. A surprise visit by the American Pope who arrived aboard a dark blue Volkswagen Multivan, sitting in the front passenger seat. In recent days, vehicles from the Wolfsburg brand have made several appearances in the Holy See by virtue of what appears to be a collaboration started between the Vatican and Volkswagen, with comfortable and commonly used cars with Scv plates engaged in transporting the Pontiff and the cardinals.

At Pope Francis' funeral on Saturday, April 26, behind the Dodge Ram 1500 pick-up truck adapted as a hearse, four ID.4 electric SUVs and as many ID.Buzz vans were seen in the funeral procession and on the steps of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore where Bergoglio was buried. On May 8, Leo XIV arrived, a few hours after the white smoke, at the Palazzo del Sant'Uffizio, his residence as cardinal, aboard a dark-colored Tiguan. Two days later, the visit to Genazzano aboard the van of the German brand.

At the end of his visit to the Shrine in Genazzano, Pope Leo XIV appeared at the portal of the basilica and, greeting those present, addressed a few words to them, expressing his joy at having been able to come and pray to the Mother of Good Counsel, "such a great gift" for the people of Genazzano, which also brings great responsibility: "Just as the Mother never abandons her children, you must also be faithful to the Mother". The Pope greeted the young people, and the young at heart - "We are all!", he said - and evoked the spirit of enthusiasm with which to follow Jesus, according to the example of Mary. Finally, before leaving the Shrine, he blessed those present. On his return to Rome, the next stop was Santa Maria Maggiore, where he stopped before the icon of the Salus Populi Romani and for a private prayer at the tomb of his predecessor Francis.