The serenity of the Vatican was shattered when thousands of leather-clad bikers roared into town.
But far from being shunned they were welcomed by Pope Francis who blessed scores of Harley-Davidson riders who descended on Rome to celebrate the manufacturer’s 110th anniversary.
Standing in his open-top car, the pope drove up the main boulevard leading to St. Peter’s Square waving to scores of people before the service got under way.
Once Mass started bikers in their trademark leather Harley vests sat in the square alongside nuns and tens of thousands of faithful Roman Catholics taking part in an unrelated, two-day pro-life rally.
Francis addressed them afterwards, giving a blessing to the ‘numerous participants’ of the Harley gathering.
Vatican spokesman the Rev Federico Lombardi said there were probably quite a few Catholic riders in the crowd and that regardless, anyone is welcome to a papal Mass.
‘I know great people who have big bikes,’ he said.
An estimated 500,000 Harley owners from around the world descended on the Italian capital for the four-day anniversary of the American manufacturer.
The main events were Saturday’s parade past the Colosseum and other historic landmarks and Sunday’s Vatican blessing.
Earlier in the week, Milwaukee-based Harley gave Pope Francis two white classic motorbikes for the Vatican police force to use.
