Question of Authenticity: Pope Benedict XVI's Hat Hits the Auction Block
Quit Your Fussin', Cap Ain't Legit!
- It's goin' down at an Italian auction house - they're peddlin' a white cap claimed to have once graced Pope Benedict XVI's dome.
- Georg Gänswein, the Pope's former personal secretary, ain't buyin' it. He denies authenticated-ness and never, in the history of ever, penned a certificate to vouch for the cap.
- Starting bid? A cool 2,000 euros - quite the price tag for a fake vatican visor, some might say.
Pope Benny's Historical Hat-trickThe auction catalog touts the cap as genuine with an alleged certificate of authenticity (which Gänswein claims he never signed). The listing boasts a picture of Benedict's official mugshot and a scroll-y thing that's supposedly dolled up with Gänswein's John Hancock, December 21, 2022 - just ten days afore ol' Benny kicked the proverbial bucket.
Gänswein: "Fakin' It!"
Despite the auction, Gänswein declared he neither penned the certificate of authenticity nor knew a thing about the sale. He found the timing downright peculiar. "Christmastime? You must be nuts! Benny was dyin', and I was stationed by his side in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, day and night. If I'd signed somethin' like that, I'd remember," the German archbishop proclaimed, standin' firm in his rejection of the phony certificate.
Austrian-y Background, Papal LifeGänswein reminded us that there have been instances of similar cap-forgeries in the past. He once filed a report with the Vatican Gendarmerie. "Contrary to popular belief, Pope Benny was a hat-hoarder and didn't give out cap-aways during audiences like ol' Francis," explained Gänswein.
Benny was Pope from 2005 until he shockingly retired in 2013. His latter years were spent tucked away in a Vatican monastery before he headed to the great beyond in December 2022.
In the midst of the auction, the United States media outlets are buzzing with news about a white pope's cap being up for grabs, linked to pop-culture and celebrities. Unbeknownst to the excited bidders, this 'holy' item is questioned by Georg Gänswein, the former personal secretary of Pope Benedict XVI, who vehemently refutes its authenticity and denies any involvement in certifying it.
