Sunday, July 8, 2007

Papal Souvenirs, Cont'd

I DO BELIEVE that my papal bottle opener beats the papal snow globe [Souvenir of the Month, July 1].

The opener, adorned with a picture of Pope John Paul II, is the perfect blend of a figure of eminence with a mundane item of everyday utility. Even its name reflects this dichotomy: the Popener.

I had heard about the opener and asked a friend who was going to Rome if she could get me one. She was dubious but agreed. It turned out to be easy to find. "There was a barrel full of them," she said, at the store at the entrance to the Vatican. Go to Galleria Mariana on the Via di Porta Angelica.

Julie Mangin

Silver Spring