When the Pope of Vatican Francis I ascends on a plane, he does not sit on the Holy See, but in the business class at the front of the plane, and members of his Vatican entourage are sitting behind him: cardinals, bishops, official speakers and personal guards.

When the Pope travels by plane, a large crowd always follows, in addition to those mentioned above, there is the Pope’s tour operator, the celebration official, and the Vatican “foreign minister” who is always ready to provide advice on etiquette at the last minute, then the group of journalists in the section Back of the plane.

Pope Francis has made many long-distance trips since the papacy took over, as travel on some trips took more than 24 hours, a task that requires physical exertion for any 82-year-old, and unlike many world leaders, the head of the Catholic Church does not have His own plane.

On his way to his destination, the Pope always flies on an Italian airline, Alitalia.

However, does the Pope have to crowd his body in a narrow seat and try to set him on a comfortable position to sleep as we do?

"For long flights, the airlines are used to providing a small private area at the front of the plane with a bed for John Paul II and Benedict XVI," says Cindy Wooden, coordinator of the Vatican Journalists' Association that the plane has flown with the Vatican Popes for 30 years now. "When Francis was preparing for his first trip to Rio de Janeiro, he asked Alitalia not to do so (that is, not to have a bed ready)," she says. To this day, it is still preferred to sit in an ordinary seat in the business class during flights.

No one has yet glimpsed the Pope with his pajamas, but he is said to take off his white robe to sleep and remain with the clerical garments of black, which he usually wears under his papal robe, which disturbs the ceremony officials who are afraid of seeing one of his black robe.

On the Pope's trip to Japan and Thailand last month, there were about 70 journalists on the plane, and at one point the Pope marched in the corridor of the plane to greet them, as he shook hands with them one by one, and even accepted some of them who had known them for years, asked about their children, launched jokes and blessed the photos of sick people Relatives of journalists, friends, or colleagues brought them with them for that, and many presented gifts to him or asked him to sign memorabilia for them, or to take selfies with him.

Journalists from around the world who accompany the Pope form a narrow circle, and journalists from the New York Times, news agencies and the BBC, and CNN, are often on board the Pope's plane.

The Mexican journalist, Valentina Blue, has the largest record of participation in papal trips, with more than 150 trips recorded.

On the way to Bangkok, a French reporter spoke to the Pope about his impending wedding, and the Pope told him, "So you're on your way to prison."

When the journalists shouted enthusiastically and wanted to ask his permission to use these words in their reports about the trip, as they drool their saliva on the headline of an attractive president, he said to them: "No, no, it's just a joke."

On the return trip, Pope Francis answered the questions of journalists at a press conference, and legendary statements came out of these conferences such as a statement in 2015 in which the Pope said that Catholics should not reproduce like "rabbits".

"These conferences were much more controlled during Benedict XVI's time," says Woody. Journalists had to send their questions in advance, and the Vatican decides who will answer the Pope. As for Pope Francis, he is more open.

- “About 70 journalists were on the plane, the Pope marched in the corridor of the plane to greet them, where he shook hands with them one by one, accepted some of them, asked about their children, launched jokes and blessed pictures of sick people, and many presented gifts to him, or asked him to sign memorabilia, and took pictures of the selfies With him. ”