Popes on the go

Pope John Paul II rides in a rickshaw at the Vatican Mission in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Nov. 19, 1986.

(Arturo Mari / Associated Press)

Sept. 22, 2015 11:53 AM PT

Through the years, popes have relied on various forms of transportation. The modes have been based on practicality as well as the need to be close to the people in the crowds. But after an assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in 1981, the “popemobile” became enclosed. Pope Francis uses a more open-air version and sometimes takes a common car for a ride.

Pope Francis waves as he leaves Acosta Nu Children’s Hospital in San Lorenzo, Paraguay, on July 11, 2015.

(Cesar Olmedo / Associated Press)

Pope John Paul II waves to the crowd assembled on the edge of the Rideau Canal from his papal barge in Ottawa, Canada, on Sept 19, 1984.

(Gianni Foggia / Associated Press)

Pope Benedict XVI waves from the upper deck during a boat trip on the Rhine in Cologne, Germany, on Aug. 18, 2005.

(Jan Bauer / Associated Press)

Pope Francis waves from inside a Brazilian Air Force helicopter as he arrives at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 25, 2013.

(Victor R. Caivano / Associated Press)

Pope Benedict XVI is greeted by two hostesses as he boards an airplane in Rome’s Ciampino military airport on Sept. 9, 2006, on his way to Munich, Germany.

(Andrew Medichini / Associated Press)

Pope John Paul II passes over “alfombras,” or carpets of sawdust and flowers, made by the Mexican consulate, prior to his departure from Guatemala for Mexico City on July 30, 2002. The carpet reads: “Mexico salutes you.”

(Victor Ruiz Caballero / Associated Press)

Pope Paul VI waves from his open car as he arrives in the rain at the Church of the Great Mother of God in Rome on March 8, 1964. The pope was making his usual Sunday visit during Lent to a church in Rome. (Giulio Broglio / Associated Press)

The faithful reach out to Pope John Paul II in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square after the weekly general audience on April 29, 1998. (Plinio Lepri / Associated Press)

Pope Francis waves from his car after delivering his message at his weekly general audience at the Vatican on Sept. 25, 2013. (Andrew Medichini / Associated Press)

Pope John Paul II blesses the crowd at the start of his motorcade through Mexico City after his arrival on Jan. 26, 1979. (Anonymous / Associated Press)

Pope Benedict XVI waves from a motorboat on his arrival in Venice, Italy, on May 7, 2011.

(Antonio Calanni / Associated Press)

Pope Francis sits in a bus as it arrives on Feb. 22, 2015, in Ariccia, near Rome, for a week of Lenten spiritual retreat .

(Angelo Carconi / Associated Press)

Pope John Paul II rides his new Mercedes-Benz popemobile during his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on June 5, 2002.

(Massimo Sambucetti / Associated Press)

Pope John Paul II waves from his popemobile as he arrives at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral in England on May 30, 1982, during a six-day tour of Britain.

(Dear / Associated Press)

Security surrounds Pope Francis’ popemobile as he greets residents while making his way to the Metropolitan Cathedral in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, to celebrate Mass on Sept. 22, 2015.

(Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press)

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Popes on the go

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