A Ram 1500 Carried Pope Francis’s Coffin to His Funeral
Even in death, Pope Francis is doing things his way.
The late pontiff’s coffin was carried to its final resting place at Rome’s Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore by Popemobile this past Saturday. That itself isn’t unusual—Pope John Paul II’s body was transported to his funeral in the same manner—but the choice of vehicle was. That’s because Francis’s final Popemobile is based on a Ram 1500.
The Popemobile has been a fixture of the head of the Catholic Church’s public appearances dating all the way back to the end of the 1920s. It has taken on many forms during this time, but has frequently been based on a luxury automobile, thanks in large part to Mercedes-Benz having been the most frequent provider of papal vehicles. But this began to change when Francis became the pope in 2013.
Mourners take photos of the Ram 1500 Popemobile carrying Pope Francis’s coffin
Andrei Pungovschi/Getty Images
Francis’s humble and inclusive style led to him being nicknamed the “People’s Pope” and his choice of vehicles during his reign did nothing to contradict this. There was nothing fancy about the cars, SUVs, and vans that drove him to and from official functions around the globe over the past 12 years. These no-nonsense vehicles included everything from an old Renault 4 he drove around the Vatican City, to Kia Soul in South Korea, and a Jeep Wrangler he rode in during a trip to Washington D.C.
Because of this, it makes sense that Francis’s final Popemobile would be a truck, one of the most utilitarian vehicles one can drive. The all-white 1500 that carried his body appears to be from the model’s fourth generation and features minimal modifications. This made it easy for the more than 150,000 mourners gathered along the motorcade route to get one last look at the pontiff before he was buried.
Mercedes-Benz presented Francis with a Popemobile based on the G580 EV last year
Mercedes-Benz
Despite the lack of bells and whistles, pickup enthusiasts were still impressed by Francis’s final Popemobile. “Also please take Notice that it’s a Dodge Ram Truck taking Pope Francis to his final resting place….FACTS!!” one enthusiast wrote on RamForum.com message board.
Francis’s Popemobiles may not have been as flashy as those of his predecessors, but there’s still some glamour in his papal fleet. Last December, Mercedes gifted him one based on the G580 EV. Francis and a coachbuilt G-Wagen may not seem like a natural pair, but we imagine the pope, who preached frequently about the importance of protecting the environment, was at least intrigued by it being the first all-electric Popemobile.
