If you've been hoping for a new European low cost carrier, your prayers have been answered look no further. A new Vatican-owned airline--partnered with Italy's Mistral Air--made its first flight today, ferrying church VIPs from Rome to Lourdes, France.

While we imagine the faithful are thrilled with the new airline, Ryanair, which will face some stiff new competition on routes, didn't think too much of the inagural flight:

Ryanair already performs miracles that even the Pope's boss can't rival, by delivering pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela for the heavenly price of €10.

Other less-cheeky thoughts:
· Airline Slogan: "I'm Searching For Your Face, Lord" [IHT]
· Keeping Costs Low a Priority [Reuters]
· Spain and Mexico Scouted as Future Destinations [RTE.ie]
· Airline Inked a 5-year Deal with Mistral [AP, via WP]
· Obviously, the Airline Is Already Being Spoofed [TheSpoof.com]

[Photo: bren]]]> pbb 2007-08-27T16:55:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/6/6/151256/4884

Who doesn't want to ride in the Popemobile? The bubble-topped car that His Holiness takes in order to bless the masses from behind safety glass (made bulletproof after a 1981 attempt on Pope John Paul II's life) is coveted not only by car makers wishing to brag about their precious cargo, but also by anyone who's ever wished their hatchback had a little more view to it. Pope Benedict XVI was actually riding in the open-air version this morning when a man jumped out of the Vatican crowds and onto the back of the Popemobile. He apparently didn't realize the Swiss Guards, entrusted through centuries to guard il Papa, were walking alongside the car and were ready to tackle him.

Mercedes-Benz has historically made the most Popemobiles parked in Italy, and you should be able to view a popemobile at the Mercedes Benz Museum in Stuttgart Germany, but good luck getting them to make you your own. You'd have better luck studying to be the Pope, if you're a celibate Catholic male who is ordained as a priest. If you're not, enjoy this video of a man living his, and your, dream. As for the Pope, he didn't even flinch.

Related Stories:
· Super World Travelers [Jaunted]
· Amazing Race Goes To Mercedes Museum [Jaunted]
· Stuttgart Hotels [HotelChatter]

[Photo: stephenhanafin] ]]> egw 2007-06-06T16:01:00-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/8/21/81725/4525

Want the full Pope experience, but worried about taking the tour of the Vatican with a bunch of other people who see images of the Virgin Mary in their grilled cheese sandwiches? Then look no further than Vatican Art Walks. Their strict no-yardstick across the knuckles policy means they are Jaunted's favorite Vatican tour company.

Art Walk mastermind Scot (so cool his name only has one "t") will take you and a small group on a tour of the Vatican, focusing primarily on the famous art inside. The tour is informative yet conversational in tone, and are only scheduled during off-hours at the Vatican, which means you won't ever be with crowds big enough to make you hyperventilate. Plus, you might even learn something. How else would we have learned that there is a statue of Bill Clinton at the Vatican?]]> AVB 2006-08-21T10:05:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/