Pope Francis is on a five day tour of the US, having arrived yesterday to a grand reception. President Obama, First Lady Michelle and the daughters were on hand at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, as well as a cheering crowd to receive the 78 year old pontiff.
On his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington, President Barack Obama greeted the pontiff and introduced him to his family and Vice President Joe Biden before they walked down the line of dignitaries. The pair then got into separate motorcades.
Unlike his host who as usual was ferried in his ‘Beast’, the Pope opted for a tiny Fiat 500, which was dwarfed by its security vehicles.
Obama’s ride cost more than $1 million, while the Pope’s Fiat is worth less than $20,000.
Pope Francis is known for his simple lifestyle and his stand is to focus less on material possessions. He gives his security constant headaches by freely socializing with the crowds.
In the US for instance, he has been moving around with windows rolled down.
The license plate on the Fiat reads SCV 1, which means Vatican City 1. SCV stands for Status Civitatis Vaticanae, Latin for Vatican City State.
Fiat USA is already riding on this.
Here are more photos of his arrival in the US.
– nairobiwire.com
