Papal telephony
(Updated: March 27, 2013) Earlier this month, pope Benedict XVI announced his historical decision to step down from his office on February 28, 2013. This makes him the first pope to resign since 1415! Therefore, a good moment to take a look at the telephone equipment, which is used by this leader of almost 1.2 billion catholics. Pope Benedict XVI, assisted by his private secretary, signs a papal bull . In this picture we see pope Benedict XVI at work in his private study in the papal apartment of the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. At the far right we can see two white telephones sitting on a side table: an older one with a rotary dial and a newer one with a keypad. The same combination of a somewhat older rotary dial phone and a newer keypad telephone can be seen at the table of the guard, next to the main entrance door of the papal apartment: Swiss Guard soldier garding the door to the papal apartment, ca. 1989 Three rotary dial phones in different colors on a side table nex...