Pope Francis is known for his kind and jovial nature, so much so that he’s earned the very 21st century nickname of the “Cool Pope.” It’s no wonder then that the pontiff decided on one of the coolest cars around for his most recent American tour: a Fiat 500L.
The pope’s decision to use a Fiat car goes hand-in-hand with his philosophy to not use luxury goods during his visits. Fiat is also a famous Italian brand, highlighting the pope’s current home at the Vatican near Rome.
As a part of the pope’s visit to American cities like Philadelphia, the Archdioceses of Philadelphia decided to auction off the Fiat 500L that the pope used during the visit. The auction was held at the Philadelphia Auto Show and ended up selling the car for an impressive $82,000.
Proceeds will be split between the Catholic Charities Appeal, which works to end poverty and homelessness, and Mercy Hospice, the Schools of Special Education of the Archdioceses of Philadelphia, and Casa Del Carmen Family Service Center.
"The Fiat is such an icon of Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia and the auction of this vehicle serves as an extraordinary final event to close this memorable chapter in the City's history," Donna Crilley Farrell, Executive Director of the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015, said.
