During his twelve years at Santa Marta, Pope Francis caused several public order and security concerns, as well as economic ones.
Newsroom (31/05/2025 20:37, Gaudium Press) Following the death of Pope Francis, who resided in Casa Santa Marta throughout his pontificate, the new Pope Leo XIV has decided to return to the traditional residence of the head of the Catholic Church – the papal apartments on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace.
The quarters, located in a 16th century building overlooking St. Peter’s Square, had been unoccupied since 2013. After Benedict XVI’s resignation and Pope Francis’ decision to remain at Casa Santa Marta, the Apostolic Palace served exclusively for representative purposes. Now, it will once again fulfill its original function: as the pope’s residence.
After 1870, when Rome was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy and the pope no longer had dominion over the Quirinal Palace, the Apostolic Palace became the official residence of the popes. Initially, not all the pontiffs used the rooms located on the third floor. Its current layout and purpose are attributed to Pius X, who was the first to move there. Since then, subsequent popes have adapted the space according to their needs.
Why did Leo XIV choose the Apostolic Palace?
Pope Leo’s choice is not extravagant. The apartments are characterized by noble simplicity. There are around ten rooms, including a bedroom, a chapel, a library, an office, a dining room and a kitchen. The aim of the renovation work is to adapt it to the needs of Leo XIV, as well as to carry out the necessary modernizations – among others, the toilets and the removal of humidity, according to Italian media reports.
The decision also has a practical aspect – according to Vatican sources, ensuring the Pope’s safety in the Apostolic Palace is much simpler than in Casa Santa Marta, which also hosts visiting priests and delegations from all over the world. The location of the apartments on the third floor allows the Holy Father greater privacy and protection.
In fact, Francis’ twelve-year stay at Santa Marta has caused a number of public order and security problems, but also economic ones. The famous “fifty square meters” in which Bergoglio stayed at Santa Marta were transformed into several rooms, until they occupied the entire second floor. In recent years, a kitchen, a reception hall, a private chapel and several rooms for collaborators have been created, considerably expanding the spaces at Santa Marta for the pontiff, much more than the traditional papal apartment.
All of this has meant countless works, but above all maintenance, not to mention doubling security, which has required hiring more gendarmerie officers and Swiss guards. Expenses, which are far from modest, have increased over the years, reaching almost two hundred thousand euros a month for the Santa Marta administration in Francisco’s final years.
With information from aleteia.pl and Il Tempo
Compiled by Teresa Joseph
Related Images:
