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Pope's Visit Sparks Surge In Papal Souvenirs

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Cheering crowds are greeting Pope Francis in Washington and soon in New York and Philadelphia.

But will the crowd have the right "pope-pourrie" of merchandise?

"We have plush dolls, we have bobbleheads, we have prayer cards, we have assorted rosaries, certainly we have apparel for women, men, children," Aramark's spokesman David Freireich told KDKA money editor Jon Delano on Wednesday.

Aramark is the official retailer for the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, the conference that brought the pope to the United States.

Aramark is marketing over 200 souvenirs, including a papal bobblehead.

Of course, when it comes to making a buck off the Holy Father's visit, says Freireich, "There's space for a lot of entrepreneurs."

Some Philadelphians are selling unofficial t-shirts. How about a papal pasta? And a favorite in South Philly is the Pope Bar with holy water beer out of a Pope Francis tap.

But can you find this stuff in Pittsburgh?

Money editor Jon Delano searched the Strip District and found nothing.

"I think we just missed out on it because of everything going on with the Steelers and the Pirates," says John Cohen of Yinzers. "We just kind of missed it -- not being in Pittsburgh -- you know, it was in Philly."

But wait -- religious gift shops like Merhaut's in the North Hills have plenty of Pope Francis paraphernalia. Key chains and rosary rings are popular.

"There's been a total resurgence since he's been here," says John Merhaut.

But no bobbleheads, t-shirts, or beer.

We checked out the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh to see if they had one of those bobbleheads, but they don't.

But they did have one of those black-and-gold "Faithful Towels," and how about a Team Francis pennant, both of which will be waved by Pittsburghers when they see the pope in Philadelphia.

Count on the faithful here to bring a bit of Pittsburgh to the pope when he skips our city.

As for a bobble-head, you can order that online here: http://shop.worldmeeting2015.org/popefrancis

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