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Sale Of Items That Could Receive Papal Blessing On Rise

By Lynne Adkins

BENSALEM, Pa. (CBS) - Men and women are getting ready for the Pope's upcoming visit to Philadelphia, partially by buying items to take downtown.

As the Papal visit gets ever closer, more and more people are heading to local stores and gift shops for Pope-related items.

Russ Davis, owner of the St. Jude Religious Stores, says now customers are focusing on smaller items they can carry with them into Philadelphia and past security, so they can receive a Papal blessing:

"Now as we're getting closer to the Holy Father's visit, we're finding that they are buying more items like medals, rosaries, things that they can actually take down and have blessed something that they're going to wear, something that they are going to use."

He says when it was first announced the Pope was coming, popular items to buy included Bobbleheads and small plush dolls.

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