# Visit from His Holiness **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 5, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117 "2010-10-05T14:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/21 "2010-10-05T18:32:18Z")
> [@Yossarian](#): > > > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > > > What makes you think that Britain has the same overtime rules as the US? :dubious: > > No shit. Have you ever seen a soccer game that _didn’t_ end in a tie? Coffee–nose–keyboard–bill. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/22 "2010-10-05T18:35:02Z")
Times two. Only with Mountain Dew. ---
**Author:** ![Leaking\_Boot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e68b1a/32.png) [@Leaking\_Boot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaking_Boot)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/23 "2010-10-05T23:35:47Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > > [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > > > Besides, if the British government really didn’t want the pope to come, they could have said no. > > Maybe they weren’t, you know … expecting him. > > I’m not sure I understand the rant. Don’t you have kings and queens and whatnot? Aren’t useless expenses for less-than-useful nobility par for the course? (Note, I’m not saying anything about the Pope’s intrinsic usefulness.) Can’t most expenses be balanced by increased traffic, revenue, and local economic activity? Don’t you all get cool souvenir Poperings? You’re 100% spot on. I think my rant is just about the _dramtic sigh_ injustice of it all. Did you know we have to pay a TV license - _to the BBC alone?_ :dubious: Every other channel has to use commercials for funding, but we are not allowed a TV unless we fork over £100 quid and more each year. And the sneaky bastards have dozens of their repeat channels on satellite, absolutely peppered with adverts. And as for _inviting_ the Pope; I personally sent him 3 texts, a dozen emails and left a message on his machine, all telling him Britain wouldn’t be home that week. He turned up anyway. Boy, was my face red. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/24 "2010-10-06T00:21:48Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > > [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > > > Besides, if the British government really didn’t want the pope to come, they could have said no. > > Maybe they weren’t, you know … expecting him. … NO ONE expects the … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/25 "2010-10-06T00:40:47Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > > [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > > > Maybe they weren’t, you know … expecting him. … > > NO ONE expects the … 😃 Do you know who ELSE England didn’t expect? That the Pope was a member of? The Inquisition, that’s what! ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/26 "2010-10-06T01:02:48Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > The Vatican ran a deficit of 4.1 million euros this year, with revenues of 250.2 million euros and expenses of 254.3 million. So it’s not like the Vatican is rolling in money either. Piffle. A mere cash flow problem. What counts is what is has “in the bank”, so to speak. And, you can bet your last communion cookie that The Vatican has assets that make Bill Gates look downright middle class. My gawd, its art collection alone . . . (And don’t forget to add in that splinter from His cross they’ve got sitting in the basement. That would bring a pretty penny on eBay, I’ll tell you for sure. And I can’t remember for sure, but didn’t the Vatican also put in the winning bid for the grilled cheese Jesus? That alone could pay for a new Popemobile.) ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/27 "2010-10-06T01:39:40Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Besides, if the British government really didn’t want the pope to come, they could have said no. What if the Queen said she didn’t want to the Pope to come? I know, I know - I learned in World Politics 101 that the Queen is largely symbolic, but still. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/28 "2010-10-06T01:42:36Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > > [@SteveG1](#): > > > > NO ONE expects the … 😃 > > Do you know who ELSE England didn’t expect? That the Pope was a member of? The Inquisition, that’s what! Dun Dun DUUUNNNNNNHHHH! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/29 "2010-10-06T01:49:54Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > I know, I know - I learned in World Politics 101 that the Queen is largely symbolic, but still. She’s symbolic as the Head of State. Even I know that. How symbolic is she as the Defender of the Faith? Which I’m not so sure of. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/30 "2010-10-06T04:02:48Z")
Only slightly less so. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the de facto head of the Church of England. The Prime Minister appoints bishops from nomination lists prepared by the Crown Appointments Committee (technically, the PM “recommends appointments to the Crown”, but this is a polite fiction). ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/31 "2010-10-06T04:48:26Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Only slightly less so. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the de facto head of the Church of England. The Prime Minister appoints bishops from nomination lists prepared by the Crown Appointments Committee (technically, the PM “recommends appointments to the Crown”, but this is a polite fiction). Doesn’t that committee only put two nominees on the list; someone totally unsuitable for the job, and the guy they really want? Or has **Yes Prime Minister** lied to me? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/32 "2010-10-06T09:23:41Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I would be surprised if the Pope ate local food more than once or twice. 😕 Why wouldn’t he eat local food? Or at least prepared by local cooks? Are you confusing the Pope with Madonna? Hint: he’s the one with the cute hat. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/33 "2010-10-06T09:48:04Z")
> [@Leaking\_Boot](#): > > Last week, the Pope came to visit England for 4 days. Did he really? I wasn’t aware Glasgow and Edinburgh were in England. ---
**Author:** ![Leaking\_Boot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e68b1a/32.png) [@Leaking\_Boot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaking_Boot)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/34 "2010-10-06T09:59:14Z")
> [@hermette](#): > > > [@Leaking\_Boot](#): > > > > Last week, the Pope came to visit England for 4 days. > > Did he really? I wasn’t aware Glasgow and Edinburgh were in England. Sorry hermette, I obviously meant ‘Greater England.’😉 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/35 "2010-10-06T10:38:02Z")
I extended an invitation for the Space Pope to visit. I’m still waiting for him to reply. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/36 "2010-10-06T13:18:06Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Doesn’t that committee only put two nominees on the list; someone totally unsuitable for the job, and the guy they really want? Or has **Yes Prime Minister** lied to me? It’s a very short list, typically. I don’t think it’s quite as short as YPM made it out to be. > [@Nava](#): > > > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > > > I would be surprised if the Pope ate local food more than once or twice. > > 😕 Why wouldn’t he eat local food? Or at least prepared by local cooks? > > Are you confusing the Pope with Madonna? Hint: he’s the one with the cute hat. The POTUS doesn’t eat local food when traveling either. Security. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/37 "2010-10-06T13:26:16Z")
Let’s face it £12m is peanuts in the grand scheme of things - given that our national debt is increasing at £18m _per hour_ spending that sum on a one-off visit from the pope isn’t a big deal. In terms of policing, if it’s OK for the police to spend £3-4m each year on Premiership football matches, spending £1.5m every 18 years for the pope’s visit doesn’t seem too unreasonable. > [@Nava](#): > > Why wouldn’t he eat local food? Or at least prepared by local cooks? The classic dish for Birmingham is the [balti curry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balti_%28food%29), best enjoyed late at night with copious amounts of lager and a big group of slightly rowdy mates. Can’t really see El Popo heading down to the Taj Mahal for their Friday-night special 🙂 And Glasgow’s local dish is the deep-fried mars bar, which may just represent too much sybaritic decadence for His Grooviness. ---
**Author:** ![Leaking\_Boot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e68b1a/32.png) [@Leaking\_Boot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaking_Boot)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/38 "2010-10-06T13:41:20Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > In terms of policing, if it’s OK for the police to spend £3-4m each year on Premiership football matches, spending £1.5m every 18 years for the pope’s visit doesn’t seem too unreasonable. But football is entertaining and has the added bonus of violence. Nobody tries to take out His Holiness anymore. And can you imagine Catholic hooliganism? oh yeah… Let’s not forget, Premiership football matches host tens of thousands of fans. There’s usually 11 or so going off every given weekend. Per capita, that’s not bad value for money, protecting all those people at once. The Pope is one person (who hasn’t scored a goal all season). And he already has that fish tank on wheels to look after his wrinkly righteous hide. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/39 "2010-10-06T14:05:57Z")
> [@Leaking\_Boot](#): > > Nobody tries to take out His Holiness anymore. [Au contraire](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8430118.stm), mon petit filou. Not quite up to the level of an Old Firm ruck, but I bet Herr Ratzinger has some kind of nazi death-grip he can unleash when it all goes off. > [@Leaking Boot](#): > > Let’s not forget, Premiership football matches host tens of thousands of fans. There’s usually 11 or so going off every given weekend. Per capita, that’s not bad value for money, protecting all those people at once. The Pope is one person (who hasn’t scored a goal all season). And he already has that fish tank on wheels to look after his wrinkly righteous hide. 13m total Premiership attendance against £4m policing costs (acutally costs more but the clubs pay a proportion) is about 30p per fan per year. 150,000 papal attendance against £1.5m policing is about £10 per pilgrim, BUT amortized over 18 years that’s only 55p so it’s not too bad. I think they should let The Stig have a bash with the Popemobile… I bet you’d get some righteous two-wheel action around Gambon. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117/40 "2010-10-06T14:13:43Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > > [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > > > Maybe they weren’t, you know … expecting him. > > The Pope dropped by my apartment unannounced the other day. The dude used my landline to make three long distance phone calls He drops into my house in Dublin the odd time, uses my phone to call the big man up in heaven. Of course thats a local call, so it doesnt cost too much… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/visit-from-his-holiness/556117.md?page=3)