Pope Francis chose Costa Rican coffee. During the traditional Wednesday audience in Vatican City, the head of the Catholic Church expressed his appreciation for the Costa Rican coffee bean when he met with a group of 47 pilgrims from the Diocese of Ciudad Quesada. “You know you have the best coffee in the world,” Pope Francis told the group.
Minutes earlier, the Bishop of Ciudad Quesada, José Manuel Garita Herrera, had given him a bag of coffee. “I told the Holy Father that I was coming with the Jubilee Pilgrimage and that I was bringing him the best coffee in the world, to which he smiled. I asked for his blessing for the diocese and the pilgrims and, of course, for the whole country,” Garita emphasized.
Pope Francis made this statement during a pilgrimage made by the Diocese of Ciudad Quesada to the Vaticain celebration of Jubilee 2025, a year viewed as a significant festival for Catholics. The group consists of 47 lay members, two clergy, and one bishop. This is the second occasion on which Pope Francis has shown his affection for Costa Rican coffee. In 2021, during a short conversation with a Radio Fides team in Vatican City, the Pope referred to Costa Rican coffee as “the best in the world.”
Jeison Granados, director of the Catholic media, asked the pontiff to send a message to the people of Costa Rica and wanted to know what he thought of the coffee produced in the country. At that moment, Pope Francis replied that it was the best coffee in the world. Costa Rica is known for producing high-quality coffee. It is the third most important agricultural export product of the country. Costa Rica contributes around 1% of the world’s coffee production.
There are eight distinct regions in the country that produce their own unique flavors of coffee. The country’s diverse climate creates a wide variety of microclimates and humidity, all perfect for growing different varieties of beans. The varied tropical climate allows Costa Rica to produce a wide range of coffee flavors for all tastes. Each of the eight producing regions has special characteristics and is famous for different aspects of their flavor.