The Pope’s Plane Is Called Shepherd One
Any flight the pope is on is referred to as “Shepherd One” and has the flight number AZ4000. Shepherd One is nothing like Air Force One, however. The Vatican doesn’t even own a plane – a commercial flight is always charted for the pope.
Air travel isn’t particularly luxurious for the pope. Although airlines used to pull out all the stops and give swanky gifts to the entourage of reporters that accompanies the bishop, they’ve toned that down and generally just provide cloth headrests embroidered with the papal seal. The pope himself, at least, is reserved a seat in first class when he travels.
The Pope Has a Special Escape Route
In 1277, an elevated and covered passageway called the Passetto di Borgo was built, linking the Vatican with a fortified castle on the other side of the Tiber River. There have been several instances when popes were forced to escape the Vatican through the secret passageway.
Pope Clement VII was one of the escapees. In 1527 he fled the city during the sack of Rome. While Holy Roman Emperor Charles V’s forces pillaged the city, murdering priests and nuns along the way, Clement was able to reach the castle safely. Sadly, 147 of his men were killed in the attack.
The Popemobile
The pope has a variety of automobiles to choose from when he ventures out to public events. The specially-designed vehicles he travels in are called “popemobiles,” and there have been quite a few of them over the years. Many consider the first official one to have been the Mercedes-Benz Nürburg 460 Pullman that was gifted to Pope Pius XI by the German car manufacturer in 1930.
Some popemobiles allow the pontiff to sit while others are designed so he can stand and face the crowds. Vehicles are selected on a per-event basis, depending on the security needs, distance to be traveled, and comfort. Fun fact: Pope Francis once likened riding in the popemobile to being in “a sardine can.”
