The famous open-top vehicle that once carried Pope Francis now has a new purpose: saving young lives in Gaza.
On Tuesday, Catholic charity Caritas Jerusalem turned the iconic “popemobile” into a high-tech paediatric ambulance. The glass bubble and ceremonial seats are gone. In their place: a rolling hospital built to reach kids trapped in war zones.
What the Clinic Can Do
- Instant diagnostics on-site
- Oxygen and emergency trauma care
- Refrigerated storage for vaccines and medicines
Medical teams will drive it straight to neighbourhoods where hospitals have been destroyed.
From Papal Tours to “Vehicle of Hope”
The idea came from Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius. He wanted to honour one of Pope Francis’ last wishes: never let children become just statistics.
“Children have faces, names and stories,” the cardinal said, echoing the late pontiff’s words during the Bethlehem unveiling the same city where Francis rode in the vehicle back in 2014.
One Big Obstacle Remains
The clinic is fully equipped and ready to roll. But it’s stuck in the West Bank waiting for Israeli approval to cross into Gaza.
Organisers insist the mission is purely humanitarian and hope the Pope’s legacy will open the checkpoint doors.
For the children waiting on the other side, this repurposed popemobile isn’t just a symbol it could be a lifeline.
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