It’s not every day that you get to meet The Pope, but one Pokémon fan decided to make the most of his recent trip to The Vatican on 5th July.
Reddit user ReptileCake took two Pokémon cards with him when meeting Pope Leo (real name Robert Francis Prevost): one to get blessed, and one to get signed. But why? Why Pokémon cards, specifically? Well, the Pokémon in question is Popplio!
Get it..? Popplio. Pope Leo. Guffaw!
In speaking with IGN, ReptileCake said that Pope Leo took the whole thing in his stride and clearly understood the reference, happily signing the card in question:
“It was pretty chill. We were herded through security and then seated, then the pope arrived nonchalantly, gave a great speech about hope, and then invited everyone up for a meet and greet [for] people to get some items blessed or give gifts.
“I went up, gave him a Reverse Holo Popplio and then asked him to sign a copy for me, in which he complied with a laugh. He felt really nice to be around.”
Despite the card immediately gaining a significant amount of worth, ReptileCake says that he has no intention of selling it on, stating that Pope Leo agreeing to sign the card is “worth more than any monetary value can satisfy”, and that it is now “a personal artefact that I will cherish for eternity”.
So there you have it! Quite a wholesome little incident, all told. Though we imagine this will kickstart a rather concerning trend in which fans flock to the Vatican to get their own Pokémon cards signed.
It’s a whole new ball game for scalpers, huh?
