Most of the time, when a young Pokémon fan steps out on their journey to see the world, they don’t get to meet the pope, or introduce the head of the Catholic church to an imaginary creature that shares his name (sort of).
But reddit user ReptileCake, a Pokémon fan from Copenhagen, Denmark, has done just that — and got his trading card signed by the holy pontiff in the process.
Speaking to IGN, ReptileCake says he took two copies of a Popplio card to his meeting with Pope Leo XIV, which took place last Saturday, July 5 at the Vatican. One copy of the card, a holographic version, he got blessed by head of Catholicism. The other copy, meanwhile, he asked the pope to sign with a half-working Bic biro — the only pen ReptileCake belatedly realised he had with him. Happily, Pope Leo XIV agreed.
ReptileCake had travelled as part of a youth trip to Italy alongside other students and teachers from across Europe. Many brought Pope Leo XIV gifts, or mementos for him to bless. But only ReptileCake brought Pope Leo a Popplio.
“I introduced it as Popplio because it sounds like Pope Leo,” ReptileCake wrote on reddit earlier this week. “He laughed, probably as a courtesy, but he did know about Pokémon cards, he even showed it around to the guards around him. Then I asked him to sign a copy for me and he was happy to oblige.”
In a photo provided to IGN by the Vatican as proof of the encounter, the pontiff can indeed be seen smiling, highlighting the light-hearted nature of the exchange.
“It was pretty chill,” ReptileCake recalled of his day. “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.”
While there are many rare Pokémon cards in existence, ReptileCake’s Popplio signed by Pope Leo XIV surely now ranks as one of the rarest — and potentially most valuable. Still, the card will not be going on sale.
“It’s just a funny joke that his Holiness indulged in with me,” ReptileCake concluded, “that’s worth more than any monetary value can satisfy. “[I’m] never intending to get rid of the card in any way. It’s a personal artefact that I will cherish for eternity.”
Seal Pokémon Popplio was best known, until now, for being one of the Starter creatures in the franchise’s 7th generation games Pokémon Sun and Moon, originally launched in 2016 on Nintendo 3DS.
“This Pokémon snorts body fluids from its nose, blowing ballons to smash into its foes,” the creature’s Pokédex description reads. “It’s famous for being a hard worker.”
Pope Leo XIV, real name Robert Francis Prevost, is the first head of the Catholic Church to have been born in the US, and became pope in May 2025.
Image credit: Vatican Media
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
