The faithful had until the evening of Friday, April 25, to pay their last respects to Pope Francis at the Vatican, before his burial on Saturday, April 26. Entrevue.fr is publishing the series "Entrevue des papes," dedicated to the popes and the decisive moments of their pontificates.
Clement VIII, born Ippolito Aldobrandini (pontificate: 1592-1605, died in 1605), remains in the collective memory for a delicious legend: after having tasted coffee, this "devil's drink" from the Ottomans, he is said to have declared that it would be a shame to leave the exclusive right to the infidels: "Let us baptize it!"
At the turn of the 1600s, the dark drink was already circulating in Venetian ports, accompanied by diabolical rumors. Prelates worried the Pope: should it be banned? Clement VIII asked for a cup to be brought to him. He moistened his lips, savored the bitterness, then declared: "This delicious drink cannot be the work of Satan. Let it receive Christian baptism instead!"
From the Mediterranean to Parisian cafés
The papal green light frees the trading posts. In Rome, the cardinals imitate the sovereign, Venice inaugurates its first coffee bottles, London opens the Pasqua Dew In 1652, Paris followed in 1672. Two centuries later, the little black wine became a global rite, combining the sacred, commerce and diplomacy. The quote may be a myth, but it speaks true to an intuition: sometimes, a pronounced taste is enough to disarm fears and convert the Unknown into an art of living. The next sip is for Clement VIII.
All articles in the series Interview with the Popes :
Interview with the Popes No. 1 – When John XXIII made Regina Coeli tremble
Interview with the Popes No. 2 – When Paul VI renounced his crown
Interview with the Popes No. 3 – When the future Pius II signed an erotic bestseller
Interview with the Popes No. 4 – When Leo XIII lent his effigy to a cocaine-laced wine
Interview with the Popes No. 5 – When Clement VIII “baptized” coffee
