One recent visitor to the Vatican may have pulled off a historical first: getting the sitting Pope to autograph a Pokémon card. But that Pokémon fan’s interaction with Pope Leo XIV has another layer, because the choice of Pokémon card is so, well, choice.
On Saturday, Pope Leo XIV welcomed visitors from across Europe and the U.K., including a group of young people from the Diocese of Copenhagen in Denmark, as part of Jubilee Year celebrations. Included among them was a Danish Pokémon fan, who goes by ReptileCake, who took this rare opportunity to hang with the Pope by playing his Popplio card.
Yes, Pope Leo signed a Popplio card. This is for real.
ReptileCake’s audience with the Pope (and what he chose to do with it) blew up on Reddit over the weekend, particularly on the interestingasfuck and PokemonTCG subreddits. ReptileCake explained that he took part in a meet and greet with Pope Leo XIV where visitors typically get items blessed or give gifts. ReptileCake described the interaction, in which he asked the Pope to sign his Reverse Holo Popplio card, as “pretty chill.”
In a message to Polygon over Reddit chat, ReptileCake recounted the experience thusly:
How I’d describe the experience: “Your Holiness! It is a great pleasure to meet you, and thank you for your speech. I have brought you a gift! *takes out a reverse holo foil Popplio* It’s a Popplio, it sounds like Pope Leo!”
The Pope laughs, probably more of a courtesy, at least I thought that until he began showing it off to the guards around him.
I reach into my pocket to bring out the second card and a pen “And can you sign a copy for me?” I asked and he obliged “Of course!”
ReptileCake explained that he only had a ballpoint pen on hand, hence the messy signature, and that, no, he does not intend to part with this one-of-a-kind Popplio card.
“I’ll never intend to get rid of the card,” ReptileCake wrote. “It is my personal artefact and I will cherish it in sleeve and one-touch UV slab.” Added the Popplio/Pope Leo XIV card owner: “I don’t want to grade it, it’s just a funny joke that his Holiness indulged in with me, that’s worth more than any monetary value can satisfy.”