Overview

• On May 11, 2025, Pope Leo XIV officially removed the seals on the Papal Apartment, marking his decision to reside in the traditional residence of popes.
• The ten-room suite includes a personal study, bedroom, private chapel, dining room, and spaces for close collaborators, as well as the iconic 'Angelus window' overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
• This choice contrasts with Pope Francis’s decision to reside in the simpler Casa Santa Marta, reflecting differing approaches to papal living arrangements.
• The Apostolic Palace, a 1,000-room complex housing the Sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms, embodies the spiritual and administrative heart of the Catholic Church.
• The Papal Apartment’s reopening underscores its symbolic role in Church continuity and its deep historical and architectural significance, rooted in Renaissance and medieval traditions.