Cardinals' 'three-star' Vatican residence

The Domus Sanctae Marthae (or simply Sancta Martha as it is more commonly known) is very much in the news at present. This is because this is the temporary residence, for the first time ever, of all the cardinals eligible to vote at the consistory called to elect the next Pope.

Sancta Martha is situated within the Vatican grounds next door to the Synod Hall (known also as the Sala Nervi), a stone's throw from St Peter's Basilica. It was inaugurated in 1996 and was built at the express request of Pope John Paul II for the purpose of providing much better accommodation for the cardinals who, previously, were lodged in tiny cubicles, with very limited facilities, in the Sistine Chapel building.

Apart from serving the needs of the cardinals in such isolated occasions as at present, the hotel is used also for accommodating bishops and other members of the Catholic Church hierarchy from all over the world during their periodical visits to the Vatican.

It is not exactly a luxury hotel but, in my opinion, certainly the standard is well beyond the three-star status given to it by the media. I would think that the only reason why it does not qualify for a four-star rating is because the rooms do not boast of a TV set nor a frigo bar and there is no swimming pool in the grounds!

I am familiar with the Sancta Martha and its facilities as I was fortunate to be accommodated there twice, in 1999 and again in 2003, when I was first elected and re-appointed for another four-year term as treasurer, Caritas Internationalis.

While the rooms (some 120 most of them suites) can be said to be rather spartan as regards furnishings, they are spacious, airy, sunlit and have a good-sized bathroom. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served by a small team of nuns in a large dining room. Wholesome food is abundant and very good wine flows freely.

So the cardinals will be well fed and looked after throughout the days that they are accommodated at Sancta Martha while they are in session at the Sistine Chapel until a new Pope is elected.

As can be expected for a hotel that is situated within Vatican grounds and so close to the basilica, access is controlled by the Swiss guards at all the gates and only accredited persons are allowed to make a booking there.

There are no double rooms as the policy is that, in the exceptional cases when lay single or married persons are accepted, only one member of a married couple can be accommodated. Indeed, when I was accompanied by my wife in 1999 I was compelled to book her into a hotel elsewhere in Rome while I stayed at Sancta Martha along with other members of the CI Bureau, the majority of whom are bishops from various parts of the world.

An episode that happened on my first stay at Sancta Martha brought a smile to all delegates who attended the CI General Assembly held in the Synod Hall when I related what had happened. This is because the telephone message pre-printed notes used at the reception prefix the blank space for insertion of the name with the title "Msgr". Of course, this would normally be crossed out and substituted by "Mr" in the infrequent cases that the message is destined for a lay person. But in the case of a message for me from my wife on returning to Malta ahead of me the receptionist failed to delete the printed prefix. Thus the message I got, translated from the Italian in which it was written, read "Msgr Curmi. Your wife phoned to say that she has arrived safely in Malta"!

This is proof that human error is also possible within the Vatican City. But, no doubt, the cardinals will be inspired by the Holy Spirit and, therefore, the possibility of their erring when electing the new Pope should be ruled out.