Pope Francis Visits Eyeglass Store in Rome, Sparking Interest
The Same Place He Visited 9 Years Ago... Left Frames Behind, Only Replaced Lenses
Pope Francis made a surprise visit to an eyeglasses store in downtown Rome, Italy. Avvenire, the official newspaper of the Italian Bishops' Conference, reported on the 10th (local time) that "the Pope visited an eyeglasses store not far from the Trevi Fountain in downtown Rome on the afternoon of the 8th." It is said that the Pope personally made a phone call to the store owner, Alessandro Spiezia, to arrange the visit. He reportedly said, "Since I have already bothered you twice, this time I will come myself."
This is the second time the Pope has visited this eyeglasses store, following his visit in 2015. The store owner, Spiezia, recommended replacing the worn-out eyeglass frames, but the Pope reportedly did not listen. He joked in response to Spiezia's suggestion, saying, "No, no, it's okay. I am a conservative person, so I don't want to change (the frames)." Nine years ago, the Pope also only replaced the lenses without changing the frames.
The Pope stayed at the eyeglasses store for about 30 minutes and also greeted Spiezia's wife, Anna Maria. Anna Maria told the Pope, "Please come to our house anytime. I will make you delicious Carbonara."
On that day, just like nine years ago, numerous tourists and citizens gathered on the street to see the Pope's sudden appearance. After an eye exam and lens replacement, the Pope came out of the store, greeted people, and gave rosaries to adults and candies to children as gifts.
It is unusual for the Pope, who receives head-of-state level security, to visit a city store for personal reasons. However, Pope Francis, who tries to distance himself from authoritarianism and privilege, has gone out into downtown Rome relatively frequently compared to his predecessors. In 2022, he was spotted visiting a record store near the Pantheon in Rome and buying records, and earlier in 2016, he showed a humble side by buying shoes like an ordinary person in downtown Rome.
Initially, the Pope's outings were criticized as "narcissistic exhibitionism," but over time, it has been recognized that this behavior is part of his nature. When he was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, he frequently used public transportation. Also, after becoming Pope, he chose to live not in the luxurious Apostolic Palace where previous Popes resided, but in the ‘Casa Santa Marta,’ a dormitory for Vatican priests. In 2013, he expressed regret that he could not freely go wherever he wanted, especially lamenting that he could not stop by Roman pizzerias.
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