Leo Moves Into Rehabbed Suite Francis Took a Pass On

Pope Leo XIV has settled into the traditional papal residence in the Apostolic Palace, the Vatican announced Saturday, ending its decade-long vacancy. AFP reports that Leo, along with his closest aides, has moved into the refurbished suite of rooms occupied by previous popes—but not Pope Francis. Leo, 70, had been living in a small flat at the Palace of the Holy Office, where he stayed as a cardinal, while renovations in the Vatican's papal suite were completed. The pope had been reported to be seeking roommates last summer.

Francis, elected in 2013, broke with custom by rejecting the Apostolic Palace in favor of simpler quarters in the Santa Marta guesthouse, a decision that drew praise from Catholics who favored a less formal style and criticism from others who said it diminished the symbolic weight of the papal office. The apartment needed updating to bring its electric, plumbing, and other utilities up to standard, per the AP. The first pope to live in the Third Loggia apartment was Pius, from 1903 to 1914, per the Vatican News.

The restored 10-room suite includes bedrooms, a private chapel, a vestibule, a library, an office, a dining room, and the study from which the pope delivers the Sunday Angelus prayer overlooking St. Peter's Square. Leo, the first pope from the United States, has also resumed use of the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome since his election last May. He spends most Tuesdays there and is reported to combine work with recreation such as tennis and swimming.