Restoration of the First Papal Graham Page
Traditionally, when a pope wanted to travel, he was carried in the sedia gestaoria: a chair carried on the shoulders of a number of attendants. However, in the 20th century, papal transportation began to be more modernized. During the priestly jubilee of Pius XI in 1929, a special automobile arrived—a Graham Paige limousine. It is a fascinating precursor to the bulletproof glass-walled vehicle which we currently associate with papal travel. Recently restored, it now resides in the Vatican Carriage Museum. Dr. Romina Cometti will lecture on its historical significance.…