How the beauty contest in Rome could not take place because of the Pope ...
04/24/2025
The Anantara Concorso Roma was actually supposed to take place next weekend (from April 24 to 27, 2025). A good four dozen Italian-made cars were registered in twelve classes, from the early Lancia (pictured above) to the Pagani Zonda.
Everything was prepared; many international guests had registered. The jury around Adolfo Orsi was ready to judge the cars, so to speak. Even the weather promised to be on the concours-friendly side; sunshine was the order of the day.
However, there was one unexpected event that could not have been anticipated: the death of Pope Francis. The passing of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Pope's real name, on 21 April 2025 threw a spanner in the works for the organizers of the Concours d'Elégance, as the Pope will be laid to rest on 27 April 2025, the central day of the beauty contest. The fact that a beauty contest for cars could be held in Rome at the same time quickly proved to be nonsensical, and so the first edition of the Anantara Concorso Roma was canceled or postponed for a year.
Next year, we are convinced, it will go ahead. We'll stay tuned...
