Pope slips out of Vatican, joins Jesuits for lunch

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis, second left, has lunch at the Vatican workers’ cafeteria, Friday, July 25, 2014. Pope Francis got a free meal on Friday when he popped in unannounced at the Vatican workers’ cafeteria and lined up, tray in hand, along with stunned diners. AP

ROME — Maybe Pope Francis is getting tired of the food in the Vatican hotel.

The pope slipped out of the Vatican on Thursday for his second drop-in, surprise luncheon, visiting his fellow Jesuits on the feast day of their founder, St. Ignatius Loyola.

Francis told the Jesuit superior, the Rev. Adolfo Nicolas, only at the last minute that he wanted to join, and was driven down the block to the Jesuit headquarters in his blue Ford Focus for the visit.

Also attending the luncheon were the seven siblings of Fr. Paolo Dall’Oglio, a Jesuit priest abducted in Syria a year ago. A Jesuit statement Friday said Francis “consoled them with words of comfort.”

Last week, Francis surprised Vatican workers by lining up at their cafeteria, tray in hand, for lunch.

RELATED STORIES

Pope Francis to visit UST 

Pope Francis to visit PH Jan. 15 next year