An Italian
priest has given Pope Francis a 20-year-old white Renault 4 to drive himself
around Vatican city.
The car - which has 300,000 km
(190,000 miles) on the clock - was presented to the Pope by Father Renzo Zocca
at the weekend. The pontiff later drove it.
Known for his humble lifestyle,
Francis said he used to drive the same car in his native Argentina.
In a bid to encourage austerity in
the Church, the Pope has urged officials to avoid using expensive limousines.
Father Zocca said he was moved by
the Pope's effort to create "a Church for the poor", and told the
Italian magazine Famiglia Cristiana that he wanted to give him a gift.
"What better than my old
Renault 4?" he asked.
Father Zocca said he was surprised
to receive a phone call from the pontiff accepting the gift.
The priest turned up at his Vatican
residence on Saturday to present the car.
The BBC's David Willey in Rome says
the Pope's bodyguards were amazed when he took the keys and drove off. (BBC)
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