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Holy order: Pope Francis takes trip to opticians for new glasses Holy order: Pope Francis takes trip to opticians for new glasses
(35 minutes later)
Pope Francis slipped out of the Vatican on Thursday for a personal — and very normal — errand: new glasses.Pope Francis slipped out of the Vatican on Thursday for a personal — and very normal — errand: new glasses.
Francis arrived at dusk at the Ottica Spiezia on swank Via del Babuino in his Ford Focus, accompanied by his bodyguard and some plainclothes police, witness Daniel Soehe said.Francis arrived at dusk at the Ottica Spiezia on swank Via del Babuino in his Ford Focus, accompanied by his bodyguard and some plainclothes police, witness Daniel Soehe said.
Shop owner Alessandro Spiezia told the Associated Press that he put new lenses in the pope’s existing frames. He said he had made the pope new glasses last year, and that he had liked them so much that he asked for a new prescription. Shop owner Alessandro Spiezia told the Associated Press that he put new lenses in the pope’s existing frames. He said he had made the pope new glasses last year and that he had liked them so much that he asked for a new prescription.
“I was supposed to go to the Vatican yesterday to bring them, but the pope told his secretary, ’No, I don’t want Spiezia to come here, I’ll go to Via del Babuino,’” a clearly emotional Spiezia said, moments after the pope left with his new prescription filled.“I was supposed to go to the Vatican yesterday to bring them, but the pope told his secretary, ’No, I don’t want Spiezia to come here, I’ll go to Via del Babuino,’” a clearly emotional Spiezia said, moments after the pope left with his new prescription filled.
Video footage showed the pope trying on the new glasses and being fitted by Spiezia and an assistant — a normal event rendered remarkable due to the man involved. Video footage showed the pope trying on the new glasses and being fitted by Spiezia and an assistant.
The pope, who spent less than an hour in the tiny shop, was mobbed by an enormous crowd that had gathered outside, some grabbing his arm as he got into the car for the trip back to the Vatican. The pope, who spent less than an hour in the tiny shop, was mobbed by an enormous crowd that gathered outside, some grabbing his arm as he got into the car for the trip back to the Vatican.
Francis has lamented that he can no longer come and go as he pleases. He famously rode public transport in Buenos Aires as archbishop, and has said one of the things he misses most now that he is pope is being able to go out for a pizza. Francis has lamented that he can no longer come and go as he pleases. He famously rode public transport in Buenos Aires as archbishop and has said one of the things he misses most now that he is pope is being able to go out for a pizza.
He does slip out occasionally, however, especially to visit the St Mary Major basilica, often on the eve of a foreign trip and upon his return home. But even when Francis renewed his Argentine passport — another everyday errand — the Argentine ambassador to the Holy See came to him, rather than vice versa. He does slip out occasionally, however, especially to visit the St Mary Major basilica, often on the eve of a foreign trip and upon his return home. But even when Francis renewed his Argentine passport , the Argentine ambassador to the Holy See came to him.
Soehe, a German tourist visiting Rome with his father, said he was stunned to see the pope trying on glasses in the shop, especially after he had waited for four hours earlier in the day, in vain, to climb to the top of St Peter’s basilica.Soehe, a German tourist visiting Rome with his father, said he was stunned to see the pope trying on glasses in the shop, especially after he had waited for four hours earlier in the day, in vain, to climb to the top of St Peter’s basilica.
“There were too many people, and also the president of Israel was visiting and there were so many police officers, so it was too much for us and we went back to the hotel,” Soehe said. “There were too many people and also the president of Israel was visiting and there were so many police officers, so it was too much for us and we went back to the hotel,” Soehe said.
“I told my father, ’Hey, that was better than going to St Peter’s dome: seeing the pope in a shop trying on new glasses.’”“I told my father, ’Hey, that was better than going to St Peter’s dome: seeing the pope in a shop trying on new glasses.’”