Colombian Priest Sells Mercedes-Benz After Pope’s Plea
Ryan Joseph Ramos July 11, 2013
We reported that Pope Francis did not ride his new Mercedes-Benz Popemobile at an appearance less than a week after being handed the keys to the custom-made vehicle. He also pleaded to Catholic priests and nuns to avoid the latest and more luxurious car models.
One Colombian priest has heeded the call, putting his E 200 convertible up for sale.
That’s exactly what Father Hernando Fayid is doing, even though the car was really a gift from his brothers the past year, as he told a Colombian TV network in an interview. According to Fr. Fayid, his past rides included a horse, a bicycle, and a bus, and that letting the white convertible go will not bother him.
Fr. Fayid, 47, is expecting around $63,000 from the sale of the Mercedes-Benz. The announcement of the sale was received warmly by the Colombian public, of which most are Catholic.
The Catholic Church is in the midst of great change with Pope Francis at the helm. He has eschewed luxurious living, foregoing the intricate trappings and furnishings in favor of more ordinary ones. In his first visit outside Rome, the Pope was seen on a 20-year-old Fiat instead of the Popemobile from Mercedes-Benz, which was personally handed to him by Dr. Dieter Zetsche.
