ROME, July 8 Pope Francis unexpectedly left on Monday Vatican to personally visit an optical store and buy a pair of new glasses, according to a report by the Rai1 TV channel.
Last weekend, the pontiff traveled to Trieste, where he complained about the bright sun, which prevented him from delivering a sermon. This incident probably gave him the idea of visiting his old friend, the owner of an optical shop in the center of Rome. The Pope arrived at Via del Babuino in a Fiat 500 with Vatican plates, accompanied by an assistant.
Pope Francis spent about 40 minutes in the store. He asked to use the old frame for the new lenses and insisted that he would pay for them himself. At the same time, the pontiff agreed to a spare pair, despite his assurances that he kept his glasses carefully in a case.
The unexpected visit of the pontiff attracted a crowd of curious people to the salon — foreign tourists and local residents. After leaving the store, the pontiff, sitting in a wheelchair, agreed to take a few selfies and gave the children caramels.
Pope Francis sometimes leaves the Vatican to buy goods he personally needs. In January 2022, he visited a small music CD store, and in December 2016, he appeared in one of the pharmacies located near the Vatican walls to buy orthopedic shoes. A year earlier, he looked into the store, where he visited this time too.
In one of his interviews, Pope Francis admitted that he misses the usual walks around Rome and regrets that he does not have the opportunity to go out into the city for pizza at any time.