Pope Francis dropped in this evening at StereoSound, a record store in the center of Rome near the Pantheon. The Pope knows the owners as he would stay in the area during his trips to Rome as an archbishop.
According to Vatican News, the Holy Father arrived around 7 pm local time to bless the newly renovated establishment. He spoke with Letizia, the elderly store owner, and her daughter and son-in-law.
The Pope stayed for about 10 minutes in the store. The place has a charming vintage feel, as many of the locales of the region. They offer records from Maria Callas to Pink Floyd, and many in between, including recent stars.
Young people outside the store peered in trying to get a glimpse, joking about what kind of music the Pope would choose. In fact, the daughter gifted the Pope a vinyl as a parting gift.
As soon as the Holy Father left, the store closed their curtains. The owner, Letizia, only commented that the Pope is "an old client" and that his visit was "beautiful" and "full of humanity."
Not a first
This is not the Pope's first “surprise” outing in the Eternal City. In 2015, he went to an optician in Piazza del Popolo to have his glasses changed. The following year he went to get shoes from an orthopedic store not far from the Vatican.
In February 2021, the Bishop of Rome also paid an impromptu visit to Edith Bruck, a poet and Holocaust survivor, at her home in Rome.
