Pope Francis visits Roman eyewear shop

A pope needs particularly good vision - and therefore new glasses from time to time: Pope Francis has once again turned up at an optician in the centre of Rome, causing a stir among passers-by. As several Italian media reported on Tuesday, Francis visited Alessandro Spiezia's shop not far from the Spanish Steps on Monday evening and had his glasses replaced. The pontiff was driven up in a car with some bodyguards and pushed into the shop in his wheelchair.

Several onlookers gathered in front of the entrance. They waited until Francis left the shop, greeted him and shook his hand. "Are all these people here because of me?" the Pope is said to have joked.

Since taking office in 2013, the Pope has had his glasses made by Alessandro Spiezia. The optician is quoted as saying that the Pope personally asked him for an appointment in his shop. Back in 2015, pictures of Francis visiting Spiezia's shop made the rounds in the global media. In the earlier years of his pontificate in particular, Francis was repeatedly known for making spontaneous trips from the Vatican to the centre of Rome. In December 2016, for example, he bought shoes in a shop. Two years ago, a picture of the Pope's visit to a record shop near the Pantheon went viral on social media. (mal)