See inside the Pope’s official residence, an extensive residential network with nearly dozen rooms

• Pope Leo XIV watched papal apartments scatter this weekend.

• His predecessor did not live in the traditional apartments in the Vatican.

• It is not clear where the new pope will live, but the photos show the chapel and other rooms.

After the death of Pope Francis in April, the papal apartments inside the Apostolic Palace were sealed, a ritual that symbolizes the papal throne, was empty and provides his personal documents.

On Sunday, these seals were removed, maybe signaling that the new pope was ready to move.

The apartments have not been occupied for more than a decade. Francis chose to live instead in a modest Vatican guest house. Pope Leo XIV can follow the steps of his predecessor or choose the more traditional choice of the apostolic palace in the Vatican.

The building dates back to the 15th century and occupies offices, museums, library and the chapel of Sixtules.

The photos show the spacious papal apartments that Leo can call home.

The protocol dictates that the Pope’s rooms should be sealed after his death. Vatican officials distributed them on Sunday.

It is not certain that this means that the new pope will live in these apartments. He could choose a dwelling with humility, as Francis did.

The apartments are on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace.

The murals cover the corridor leading to the apartments. The area is known as the Third Logia.

Pope Leo XIV has visited what his new living quarters can be.

The rooms are spacious, but some areas are not as lavishly decorated as some other parts of the Apostolic Palace.

The new pope also saw the private chapel of the apartments.

In 2004, a photographer filmed an image of Pope John Paul II, praying in this victim of the Madrid bombing.

Papi often meet with world leaders in the papal library.

State leaders from Malta, Slovakia, Lebanon, USA and many other countries had an audience with the Holy See.

The library is on the second floor of the palace.

In 2020, Pope Francis used the library for his common audience during the Covid-19 pandemic.

These weekly events gave visitors a chance to see the Pope.

About a dozen rooms make up the apartments.

In addition to the library and the chapel, there is a living room, a study, a bedroom and a medical clinic. They surround the yard of Sixtus V.

In 2005, renovation updated the kitchen and clinic, Catholic News reported at the time.

It is traditionally the pope to live in papal apartments.

In 1903, Pope Pius X became the first pontiff to live in the apartments. Many were surprised by the choice of Francis to live in Casa Santa Martha, the Vatican Guest House, though he was in line with his reputation of humility.

Leo seems to share similar views. He recently told Vatican News that “the bishop should not be a small prince sitting in his kingdom, and is more recently called authentic to be humble, be close to the people he serves, walk with them and suffer with them.”

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