He walked, breathed, looked around. He admired plants… There were lemon trees; there were oranges, olives, climbing grapes, and even one peach. This peach tree spontaneously planted itself and grew on this roof. One day the Holy Father stopped and asked me: “And, what is it?” “This is a peach tree” – I replied. He didn’t recognize it at first. He was full of admiration. Soon after, at the end of July, when the Pope was on vacation in Castel Gandolfo, I collected a basket of these peaches and, through Sister Tobiana, who was like a mother to me; I sent them to his summer residence. He was very happy and personally thanked me the next time we met.
Lemons and oranges were collected regularly and carried to the Papal table. Sometimes the Holy Father himself, when he was on the roof, took two lemons into his pocket and only then, satisfied, returned to the elevator and to his activities. Not only fruit trees grew on the roof, but also thuja and other ornamental plants
Magdalena Wolińska-Riedi “It happened in the Vatican”
Znak Publishing House. Kraków 2020
Pages: 143 – 144
