Get your Pope chair before they sell out
ACT now before they’re swept off the shelves – merchandise for the Pope’s upcoming visit is selling out fast, especially if you’re looking for a Papal-themed cardboard chair.
In the Dublin Catholic book shop Veritas, €18.95 will get you a Pope Francis Souvenir Chair and it is selling like hotcakes, according to the shop’s sales manager.
It’s been ‘capturing imaginations’ according to Turlough O’Brien, especially with Papal pilgrims expecting to stand for long periods during the festivities.
‘It’s everything that the Pope would say about the environment and protecting it,’ he insists.
Their big seller has been the white Pope Francis T-shirt for €9 but you’re out of luck if you’re a XL, because they’ve already sold out.
The cheapest option, a €1 pen with Pope Francis Ireland 2018 emblazoned on the side, is also a top seller. While Veritas is primarily a religious bookseller, they have commissioned and produced nearly 70 commemorative items for the historic religious event. Aside from selling official World Meeting of Families souvenirs, the shop also offers all sorts of paraphernalia, such as a Pope Francis candle for €2.50. The ever-popular rosary beads will set you back €6, while a Pope Francis-emblazoned tote bag will cost you €6.95. According to Mr O’Brien, sales are booming, and they have already restocked a number of popular items, such as the shirts and pens and tote bags. He reports that people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities have been arriving in the shop recently to buy souvenirs – and the customers are much younger than their usual clientele.