An Insider’s Look at the Papacy of Pope Francis

From the start of his papacy, Pope Francis has been a colorful subject for the official Vatican photographers. You’ve seen hundreds of red-cloaked cardinals gathered for the consistory. You’ve probably laughed at some of the informal photos: Francis hugging a baby or homeless man, Francis greeting brides and grooms, Francis encountering a chocolate likeness of himself, Francis donning a red clown nose when circus performers come to St. Peter’s Square.

Now those familiar photos, along with more than 250 photos that have never been published before, have been collected in a new coffee table book by Father Michael Collins, Pope Francis: A Photographic Portrait of the People’s Pope.

Father Collins, a Dublin-born priest who  studied at the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archeology in Rome, lived in Rome for nine years before serving a Dublin parish as its pastor. He is a frequent contributor to radio and television and has authored many books including The Story of Christianity, The Vatican: Secrets and Treasures of the Holy City, The Fishermen’s Net: The Influence of the Popes on History, Pope Benedict XVI: Successor to Peter, John Paul II: The Path to Sainthood, and a short biography of the current pope, Francis: Bishop of Rome.

Felici Studios has since the late 19th century been the official papal photographer, snapping papal photos at general audiences and official ceremonies, and catching him as he goes about his daily life. Today, Rodolfo Felici carries on the family business begun by his great-great-great-grandfather Giuseppe Felici.

Rodolfo’s photographs capture the art and architecture of the Vatican, the piety of a procession, the joy of the crowds in St. Peter’s Square, the rigorous discipline of the Swiss Guard. The Christmas tree in the Square, the Pope at prayer before the creche in St. Peter’s Square on New Year’s Eve, at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, at Korea’s Shrine of Solmoe. Stretching his hand in friendship in Turkey, then holding a statue of Our Lady of Madhu at a shrine in northern Sri Lanka.

But even before the Felici family began to photograph Francis as pope, there were images of young Jorge Bergoglio with his elementary school classmates, at an informal family gathering, as a young Jesuit student. Those faded photos, too, tell a story and are included in the book.

Felici has donated the entire proceeds of the book to the Office of Papal Charities, an organization entrusted by Pope Francis himself with caring for the poor of the city of Rome.

Pope Francis: A Photographic Portrait of the People’s Pope would be a treasured Christmas gift for a priest or someone special, or a beautiful addition to your own library.

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