Pope Francis’ popemobile will be converted into a mobile clinic for Gaza’s children, fulfilling his final wish to support healthcare in the conflict zone.

One of Pope Francis’ popemobiles is set to be transformed into a mobile health clinic for children in Gaza, fulfilling one of the late pontiff’s final wishes.

Popemobiles are the specially designed vehicles traditionally used by the leaders of the Catholic Church during papal visits to various countries and regions.

According to the Vatican’s media outlet, Vatican News, Pope Francis — who passed away last month — had entrusted the task of converting the vehicle to Caritas Jerusalem, a Catholic aid organization, during the months preceding his death.

Peter Brune, Secretary General of Caritas Sweden, which is supporting the initiative, described it to Vatican News as “a concrete, life-saving intervention at a time when the health system in Gaza has almost completely collapsed.”

The vehicle in question is the same one used by Pope Francis during his 2014 visit to the Holy Land. It will be equipped with facilities for diagnostics, medical examinations, and treatment, according to Vatican News.

The mobile clinic will be staffed by doctors and medical personnel, with a mission to reach children in remote areas of Gaza.

“It’s not just a vehicle,” Brune emphasized. “It’s a message that the world has not forgotten about the children in Gaza.”

Francis had been known to frequently express his belief that “Children are not numbers. They are faces. Names. Stories. And each one is sacred,” a sentiment echoed in Vatican News coverage.

Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis consistently advocated for peace in Gaza. He vocally condemned the bombing of children in the region and called for a cessation of violence.

Since the outbreak of war in Gaza in 2023, Pope Francis made a point of regularly calling Palestinians who were taking refuge in a small Catholic parish in Gaza City.

This week, Catholic cardinals are scheduled to begin a sealed conclave to elect the next pope, the successor to Pope Francis.