MILAN, Italy – One of the earliest pieces of evidence of coffee consumption appears around the 15th century in Yemen, where it was used by Sufi circles. However, some anecdotes suggest that coffee was already in use in the 9th century in Ethiopia. Although the exact origin is lost to history, many historical sources report that coffee spread to the Western world, reaching Italy by 1600. When the beverage was first introduced in Europe, many people called it “Satan’s drink.”
It was Pope Clement VIII who was the first to accept the drink. According to the legend, the pope was immediately pleased with the taste of coffee and said, “This devil’s drink is delicious. We should cheat the devil by baptizing it.”
From then on, coffee became more and more popular. Even today, coffee plays an important role in the Pope’s life. In fact, during a traditional audience in Vatican City, Pope Francis expressed appreciation for Costa Rican coffee.
Pope Francis told a group of pilgrims from the Diocese of Ciudad Quesada, “You know you have the best coffee in the world.”
The Bishop of Ciudad Quesada also gave the Pope a bag of coffee. Pope Francis showed his appreciation for it during a pilgrimage made by the Diocese of Ciudad Quesada to the Vatican for the Jubilee 2025.
This is not the first time the Pope has claimed that Costa Rica has the best coffee in the world. In 2019, Pope Francis greeted Carlos Alvarado, the President of Costa Rica, saying, “You are the President of the world’s best coffee.”
