A trainer was allowed to meet the holy Pope in person and then asked him for a favor: he wanted a Pokémon card signed, but it was not just any card.
What kind of card was chosen? The Reddit user ReptileCake had the honor of meeting the newly appointed Pope Leo XIV with other visitors from the EU and the United Kingdom. The user is a Pokémon fan and therefore did not want to miss the chance to have a Pokémon card signed by the Pope.
However, the card was not just any card, but a Popplio. Most people would have clicked right away, but for those who still do not get the joke, they need to look at the English name of the Pope: Pope Leo and the Pokémon Popplio.
ReptileCake specifically chose a Pokémon that has a name almost identical to the Pope’s. The Pope definitely seemed to enjoy the joke, judging by his reaction.
“This is worth more than any monetary value can satisfy.”
How did the Pope react to the joke? The Reddit user described his experience with the Pope as “pretty chill” and talked about how the meeting went: “This is how I would describe the experience: Your Holiness! It is a great pleasure to meet you, and I thank you for your speech. I brought you a gift! *Takes out a reverse holofoil Popplio* It’s a Popplio, it sounds like Pope Leo!”
He further explained: “The Pope laughed, probably more out of politeness, at least I thought so, until he started to show it to the guards around him. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the second card and a pen: ‘And can you sign a copy for me?’ I asked, and he replied: ‘Of course!'”
Thus, ReptileCake owns the only known version of Popplio that has been personally signed and blessed by the Pope. However, some users now wanted to know what ReptileCake plans to do with the card.
Does ReptileCake intend to sell the card? No. Even when asked whether the trainer would like to get the card graded and have it appraised, the user clearly replied with the following statement: “I will never have the intention of getting rid of the card. It is my personal artifact, and I will keep it in a sleeve and a one-touch UV holder. I don’t want it graded, it’s just a funny joke that His Holiness played on me, worth more than any money can fulfill.”
Nevertheless, it is a great joke that the trainer pulled with the Pope. Aside from that, there was another curious case where gaming played a role in the Vatican, and Dark Souls played a crucial role: Spanish broadcaster reports on the papal election, overlaying the news with scenes from Dark Souls 3 that could not be more inappropriate
