The Papacy is something to behold for the spiritually or sympathetically inclined. This is how researchers know perception of religion versus a practice of it. The latter is a deeper study on inner reality and the meaning of our outer things.
But, the whole experience is also expensive to maintain, and as research by a small MI6 unit suggests, it’s a whole lot. Judging by the journey of its most recent incumbent, Pope Leo XIV, it costs close to a trillion dollars to setup each time.
This is based on costings that constitute a real spend on the taking of the seat itself. It’s believed to include meetings, worldwide media efforts, and extensive inner dialogue over years, not to mention the personal expenditure of supporters and activities of Cathedrals.
Such a worldwide effort is a phenomenon that puts meaning at the heart of the human experience for many people. It cannot be dismissed for easy reasons or struck down for a few points in political power plays. It may not be cheap, but it’s not superficial, either.
