After nearly nine months of waiting, Pope Leo XIV is about to move house – and his long-anticipated Vatican address is shaping up as one of the most intriguing papal property choices in decades.
By the end of February, Leo will relocate into a newly built suite high inside the Apostolic Palace, rejecting the grand papal apartment that has housed most popes since 1870 in favour of a smaller, more private residence – complete with a gym.
According to Italian media, the pope will be taking up residence in what has been described as an “attic” above the Terza Loggia – the top level of the Apostolic Palace.
The suite has been carved out of former staff and guest quarters and painstakingly reworked over recent months as cranes hovered outside the historic building.
The new papal pad will include a bedroom, detached bathroom, kitchen, small private chapel and a terrace, along with two additional rooms for his private secretaries, Msgr. Edgard Rimaycuna and Fr. Marco Billeri.
Meanwhile, the gym has been a deliberate inclusion.
Leo’s brother, John Prevost, told National Catholic Reporter in October that the pope had gym equipment installed in his living space and often cooks his own dinner – a habit that prompted the addition of a kitchen.
The décor, however, will be understated.
According to La Repubblica, the apartment will be finished modestly, dominated by white tones and basic furnishings – a far cry from the ornate rooms traditionally associated with the papacy.
In another break from tradition, Leo’s bedroom will not overlook St Peter’s Square.
Instead, for privacy and security, the suite is positioned above the Vatican Bank, well away from the crowds below.
Speculation about the pope’s imminent move has grown in recent weeks after cranes were spotted outside the Apostolic Palace, signalling that the long-running fit-out may finally be nearing completion.
The delay has raised eyebrows, particularly given that the traditional papal apartment was last renovated as recently as 2005, following the death of St John Paul II.
That upgrade included new electrical wiring, plumbing and a custom-built private library for Pope Benedict XVI.
Leo’s decision to bypass that ready-to-go residence may explain why his move has taken so long.
His new suite was originally built in 1939 to house papal staff and guests, requiring extensive reconfiguration to meet modern needs.
Since his election, Leo has continued living in his former cardinal’s room inside the Vatican’s “Holy Office” – home to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The relocation inevitably invites comparison with Pope Francis, who famously refused to live in the Apostolic Palace at all, choosing the Vatican guesthouse Casa Santa Marta for his entire 12-year pontificate.
While Leo’s move signals a return to the palace itself, his choice of a converted guest suite – rather than the formal papal apartment – sends a more complex message: tradition, yes, but on his own terms.