Now that he is heading back to Vatican City, the blue Skoda will be donated to the social care agency of the Catholic church in Dublin, Crosscare, to help Dublin’s homeless.
The vehicle is well known as a result of a photo of Pope Francis, travelling through the suburb of Ballymun in the blue Skoda, going viral on social media.
Conor Hickey, the Director of Crosscare, was very grateful for the gift.
Mr Hickey, who spoke at the World Meeting of Families last week, detailed that the level of homelessness had grown to crisis point in Dublin in the past three years.
There are always 50 families waiting to find accommodation, and as soon as one family is placed in permanent housing, there is another family on the waiting list.
The car will be used every day by Crosscare to drive families to view accommodation.
Mr Hickey said he “hoped struggling families would find this gesture from the Pope of some comfort, because they were constantly remembered by him”.
When Pope Francis used the car, it had the number plate SCV1, which stands for Stato della Citta del Vaticano, “Vatican City”.
It will receive a new number plate for its new role.
