Mar 18, 2026
3 min read
Pap Leo
The Pope's symbolic gesture: Leo XIV.he packs his bags and returns to the Vatican Apostolic Palace
Help Leo
- No Santa Marta or papal apartment: Leo XIV marked his distance with Francis and would live in an attic without his own bathroom, but with a gym.
- Leo XIV prepares his first visit to Spain in June: date, city and planned program
The Pope's residence in the Vatican is alive again.Last Saturday, March 14, Leo XIV held the papal residence at the Apostolic Palace, a decision that is a new chapter in his political regime and restores a tradition that has been maintained for more than ten years.This movement took place ten months after his election as a politician, after the time when the building was renovated.
The confirmation of the transfer was made by the Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Matteo Brun, who explained the Pope with a small hand of staff near the spaces that were delivered by the pontiffs.Leo XIV still resided in an apartment in the Palace of the Holy Office, staying in the same place when he was Prefect of the Episcopal Department.
During these months, much was done to restore the pontifical office.The renovation, which included electrical and plumbing repairs, was necessary after more than a decade of disuse as a papal residence.It contains several key rooms for the daily life of the pontiff, such as the library, a small chapel and study from its window where the pope can be seen praying to the angels in St.Peter's Square every Sunday.
History of the Palace of the Apostles
The Apostolic Palace is one of the most symbolic complexes of the Vatican and has been the administrative and residential center of the Pope for centuries. Its use as a papal residence was particularly consolidated after the return of the Pope from Avignon to Rome in 1377.Over time, various pontiffs expanded and altered the building until it became the main center of the Catholic Church.
Over the centuries, popes such as Sixtus IV, Julius II.and Leo X introduced important architectural interventions into the complex.The palace not only houses the papal offices, but also includes many places of artistic and religious value, such as the Sistine Chapel or the famous Raphael Rules, making it one of the most important historical buildings in the Vatican.
From 1870 onwards, during the reign of Pope Pius IX, the papal residence was unmistakably anchored here.From then on, for more than a century, the Apostolic Palace became the customary residence of the Pope, in addition to serving as the administrative headquarters of church government.This use continued until the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI.
Popes who lived in the Pope's apartment
Located in the Third Lodge of the Apostolic Palace, the apartment began to be used as a papal residence at the beginning of the 20th century. The first Pope to settle in these areas was St.Pius X, who ruled the Church between 1903 and 1914. Since then this place has been associated with the daily activities of the Petrine Ministry.
Throughout the 20th and early 2000s, these apartments were home to many popes, including such important figures as Pius XII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI.For decades, these apartments were not only the Pope's home, but also the place of important decisions for the Church and the world.
With Leo XIV's move to the Palace of Apollo, a symbol of institutional continuity was restored in the heart of the Vatican.
The tradition was interrupted in 2013 when Pope Francis decided not to stay in the Apostolic Palace and chose to live in Casa Santa Marta, a simple residence in the Vatican.For Leo's decision
- Neither Santa Marta nor the Pope's apartment: Leo XIV marks his distances with Francisco and lives in an attic without a private bathroom, but with a gym
- Leo XIV prepares for his first visit to Spain in June: dates, cities and planned program
The Pope's official residence in the Vatican has come back to life.Last Saturday, March 14, Leo XIV assumed the papal apartment of the Apostolic Palace, a decision that marked a new chapter in his papacy and revived a tradition that had been preserved for more than a decade.The move took place ten months after his election as Pope, after which the building had been extensively renovated.
