Pope Leroy the 14th. Will he finally sell the Vatican’s $100 million golden chariot to feed the hungry? Or is that TOO progressive?

The USA is rejoicing. Finally, an American pope! Although more facts are likely to be forthcoming, we already know he’s a Chicago White Sox fan, attended Villanova university, and “spent years retweeting other twitter users' attacks on Trump”. If those aren’t bona fide qualifications for Pope Diddy, the Vicar of Christ, I don’t know what more anyone could ask for. (Full disclosure – this writer is secular).

Africans bishops, however, may be furious. They were expected to put great pressure to have the next pope be one of their own. And a conservative. African bishops are right of center when it comes to controversies such as priests dating altar boys and smashing capitalism. Those bishops were fond of reminding the Vatican that ALL the increase in card carrying Catholics comes from the 3rd world, while Europeans and Americans are fleeing, despite the church’s embrace of issues like climate change and forgiving student loans.

Back to the golden chariot. Actually, it’s not pure gold. Only about half. But there's a lot of gold. If you melt it down, it’s going to be worth less than selling it in one piece. How much does that thing weigh? The Vatican declines to say, noting that questions like this “detract from the spiritual authority of the pope.” In any case if it weighed 1,800 pounds, it would be worth $100 million melted, at the current $3,338.50 price of gold per ounce yesterday at the commodity futures exchange (COMEX).

Jeff Bezos would have to be considered a potential buyer, of course. Perhaps even Trump, or Putin, or Xi. Imagine the kind of Victory Day/Cinco De Mayo military parades you could have with that thing! It’s really over-the-top gaudy. Which is probably why the Vatican doesn’t like to use it anymore, let alone weigh it.

Of course nobody expects any of the Vatican treasures to be sold, and proceeds used to feed the hungry, fight for social justice, or stop global warming. Those are woke corporate/religious mission statements. Behind closed doors, executives and bishops distance themselves from such policies. And the golden stagecoach isn’t even the most valuable thing in the vault. Evidently there’s a papal tiara made of solid gold and dripping with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. Stones which were looted from 3rd world countries.

If you’re the CEO of the Vatican, you have to worry about cash flow, like any other business. And the cash needs to flow from faithful up to Rome, not the other way around. The Vatican is not a charity. It’s a city-state behind high walls, to keep out the uninvited out, and stop people from asking how much the golden chariot weighs.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

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oldguy73 · 70-79, M

i went to italy in 1971, i went to the vatican, i was with my aunt, no human can comprehend the value if what is in there, little gold statutes about 8 inches high, would sell for millions, if they could be bought, the catholic church is worth more than any country in the world, the sistine chapel IF it could be sold would go for billions on each pane, they have land in every country, huge churches, schools, i read where they could feed the worlds poor, but thier gold stays where it is, please read about that unreal. also the vatican is a country by itself, undergroung tombs are all gold

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@oldguy73 to be fair, the vatican doesn't have the only golden stage coach. when i was searching pics online i found at least half a dozen others, including the one used by queen elizabeth, which appears even more lavish.

the "crown jewels" of the british royal family (23,000 of them) are estimated to be worth tens of billions. The imperial state crown (worn by king charles at his coronation) is worth at least $5 billion alone.