Buy Pope Francis’s Skull Cap for $115,000 on eBay

The Pope's Skull Cap is up for Auction on eBay Photo: ebay.it

A skull cap belonging to Pope Francis is up for auction on eBay. Since it was listed on the site last Wednesday, the article has attracted 114 bids. As of Monday morning, the highest bid was at €90,050 ($115,000) with two days left in the sale. Art Daily previously reported the cap hitting a high of €105,000 ($135,000) just 24 hours after it was listed. It is unclear if that bid was subsequently retracted.

In order to get the cap, Damiano, one of the hosts of the Italian TV comedy show “Le Iene” (The Hyenas) got up early and managed to obtain a front row place whilst attending one of the Pope’s regular services at St Peter’s square in the Vatican City. He managed to catch the Pope’s attention and convinced him to swap his cap for a replica that he had brought with him.

On the TV show the Pope can be seen carefully examining the cap, agreeing to swap it for his own, before driving away on his white SUV. Throughout his papacy, Francis has been noted for his attempts to modernize the Catholic Church’s image.

According to RTpapalina, or skull cap is worn throughout most of the mass and is usually made from silk or polyester and is worn by clerics of the Catholic Church and higher clergy in the Anglican and Orthodox traditions.

According to the producers of the TV show, all proceeds from the auction will go towards Soleterre, an Italian charity that campaigns against child mortality in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The auction is scheduled to close on Wednesday September 24.


Follow Artnet News on Facebook:


Want to stay ahead of the art world? Subscribe to our newsletter to get the breaking news, eye-opening interviews, and incisive critical takes that drive the conversation forward.
  • Access the data behind the headlines with the artnet Price Database.
Article topics