Philadelphia Mayor Offers to Bless the Pope With a Free Hoagie

Popedom has plenty of perks, such as getting to ride in the Popemobile and wear a really cool hat.  Plus, mayors of major American cities will buy you lunch. In advance of Pope Francis's upcoming visit to Philadelphia, Mayor Michael Nutter has pledged to buy Pope Francis any hoagie he wants.

Per The Philadelphia Inquirer, the mayor proclaimed his generous offer at the opening of a new flagship Wawa store in Center City. "I'm pleased to announce that we expect to serve Pope Francis a Wawa hoagie of his choice," he told a cheering crowd.

The Pope's potential options include a meatball hoagie and a classic cheesesteak. Then again, since is he widely known as "the cool pope," perhaps he'll opt for the pepperoni pizza hoagie.

Philadelphians are fiercely devoted to Wawa sandwiches, but it bears pointing out that Wawa is not actually a sandwich shop but rather a convenience store that happens to sell sandwiches — ergo, the mayor has offered to buy the pope a gas station sandwich. Will the Pope's famously discerning palate approve of Wawa? He is, after all, an honorary sommelier who enjoys feasting on pistachio ice cream and risotto and even had his own special coffee blend created for his U.S. tour.