Curious about what it's like to be pope.
October 26, 2011 5:47 PM Subscribe
What does the pope eat?
I'm looking for a book about what life is like in the modern (say post-WWII) Vatican. What is the pope's schedule like? What's it like to be a cardinal? What are the rooms like that the pope, cardinals, and other top figures in the hierarchy live in? Meals? I'm not writing a novel or anything (and I haven't read Dan Brown or any clones); nor do I aspire to be pope some day. I'm just curious.
I'm looking for a book about what life is like in the modern (say post-WWII) Vatican. What is the pope's schedule like? What's it like to be a cardinal? What are the rooms like that the pope, cardinals, and other top figures in the hierarchy live in? Meals? I'm not writing a novel or anything (and I haven't read Dan Brown or any clones); nor do I aspire to be pope some day. I'm just curious.
And Time ran a short piece called "At Home With the Pope" with Benedict.
posted by SMPA at 6:00 PM on October 26, 2011
posted by SMPA at 6:00 PM on October 26, 2011
there's a very informative (and amusing!) book called how to be pope that explains many of the day-to-day practicalities of life as the bishop of rome.
posted by countingaugust at 6:39 PM on October 26, 2011
posted by countingaugust at 6:39 PM on October 26, 2011
He also eats other stuff. Cooking for the Pope: Lidia Bastianich Comes Full Circle:
"Lunch on Saturday was a relatively light repast that Lidia and her colleagues, Mark Ladner (Del Posto) William Gallagher (Becco), and Fortunato Nicotra (Felidia), improvised on the spot to work with what the nuns had already prepared for the pope:
Italian cherry tomatoes with celery and grana Padana alongside some fresh mache
Asparagus soup thickened with boiled potato and sautéed asparagus
Baked monkfish Sicilian-style with seasoned breadcrumbs
Peach fruit tart that, according to Lidia, almost went directly from the oven to the table"
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:28 PM on October 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
"Lunch on Saturday was a relatively light repast that Lidia and her colleagues, Mark Ladner (Del Posto) William Gallagher (Becco), and Fortunato Nicotra (Felidia), improvised on the spot to work with what the nuns had already prepared for the pope:
Italian cherry tomatoes with celery and grana Padana alongside some fresh mache
Asparagus soup thickened with boiled potato and sautéed asparagus
Baked monkfish Sicilian-style with seasoned breadcrumbs
Peach fruit tart that, according to Lidia, almost went directly from the oven to the table"
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:28 PM on October 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
And FWIW, "The Pope: A rare insight into the pontiff's private routine":
"A methodical and disciplined man, he rises at 6am in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, where his predecessors have lived since 1377.
The 83-year-old pontiff showers, shaves and dresses in his white cassock. At 6.50am he leaves his bedroom and walks 20 metres to the adjacent private chapel where he kneels in prayer for 15 minutes before celebrating mass in Italian with his two secretaries, Monsignors Georg Ganswein and Alfred Xuereb. Also at mass are four Italian lay women who work in the papal apartment.
Benedict has breakfast at 8am with the secretaries and the lay women whom he calls his ‘family’.
This is typically caffe latte, bread, butter, marmalade and sometimes a doughnut or biscuits. The breakfast is served by his valet Paolo Gabriele. Afterwards the Pope retires to his room."
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:30 PM on October 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
"A methodical and disciplined man, he rises at 6am in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, where his predecessors have lived since 1377.
The 83-year-old pontiff showers, shaves and dresses in his white cassock. At 6.50am he leaves his bedroom and walks 20 metres to the adjacent private chapel where he kneels in prayer for 15 minutes before celebrating mass in Italian with his two secretaries, Monsignors Georg Ganswein and Alfred Xuereb. Also at mass are four Italian lay women who work in the papal apartment.
Benedict has breakfast at 8am with the secretaries and the lay women whom he calls his ‘family’.
This is typically caffe latte, bread, butter, marmalade and sometimes a doughnut or biscuits. The breakfast is served by his valet Paolo Gabriele. Afterwards the Pope retires to his room."
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:30 PM on October 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks for all these--my local library has the National Geographic book and I'm going to get it today.
posted by sy at 6:22 AM on October 27, 2011
posted by sy at 6:22 AM on October 27, 2011
It varies from pope to pope. One thing to note is that until Pope John XIII, it was customary for the pope to eat alone. Pope Leo XIII would sometimes invite his secratary to sit with him, but the secretary wouldn't eat. That book also makes note of the Pope liking vinegeary salads, which points out that personal preference will be important.
The current Pope is known for his love of Orange Fanta.
posted by Jahaza at 7:17 AM on October 27, 2011
The current Pope is known for his love of Orange Fanta.
posted by Jahaza at 7:17 AM on October 27, 2011
Hi...!
my sister is a nun and while doing her master's in Rome, her congragation sometimes had the honor of keeping house for ze pope. (They would take turns with other local congregations) They had to do thing like iron his clothes, cook his food, mend his fancy dresses, etc. All this while she was learning 8 different languages and studying spiritual philosophy.
As far as I know, they had to make a LOT of different kinds of pasta, cooked al dente, with local ingredients like hams and cheeses, and they received a lot of donations of fancy stuff. My sister would only be there when when it was an every day kind of meal, not for the celebrations or holidays.
posted by Tarumba at 7:23 AM on October 27, 2011 [4 favorites]
my sister is a nun and while doing her master's in Rome, her congragation sometimes had the honor of keeping house for ze pope. (They would take turns with other local congregations) They had to do thing like iron his clothes, cook his food, mend his fancy dresses, etc. All this while she was learning 8 different languages and studying spiritual philosophy.
As far as I know, they had to make a LOT of different kinds of pasta, cooked al dente, with local ingredients like hams and cheeses, and they received a lot of donations of fancy stuff. My sister would only be there when when it was an every day kind of meal, not for the celebrations or holidays.
posted by Tarumba at 7:23 AM on October 27, 2011 [4 favorites]
This also meant we have been showered with papal blessings, which I guess are like his version of giving autographs.
posted by Tarumba at 7:26 AM on October 27, 2011
posted by Tarumba at 7:26 AM on October 27, 2011
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posted by SMPA at 5:56 PM on October 26, 2011