pope

While Pope Francis addressed Congress Sept. 24, New York City waited for his arrival. It was the perfect time to prank the Big Apple.

So, Madame Tassaud's drove around a new wax statue of the Pontiff in a convertible, leading to many turned heads, many selfies, many confused looks, many traffic snarls and at least one investigation by authorities.

Local news channel 6ABC has the story:

The wax figure of the pope was part of a publicity stunt for Madame Tassaud, which added it to its collection in advance of Pope Francis' visit to the United States. The company drove it around Midtown, hours before the pope's expected arrival.

Someone who saw the figure of the pope riding down Fifth Avenue was concerned, snapped a photo and sent it to the New York City Police Department.

Officers investigated and found that the pope wasn't really in the back of the white convertible, which hardly looked like the popemobile. The actual Pope Francis was addressing Congress at the time the replica was spotted in NYC.

No charges were filed in the incident, but Madame Tassaud personnel apologized to officers for not having a front license plate - a state motor vehicle violation.

One reporter even took a video of the goof.

Pope Francis is now officially a baller.

The Harlem Globetrotters paid a visit to the Vatican on Wednesday, and they performed a few tricks with the pope during his weekly meet-and-greet with the public.

At one point he tried to spin a basketball on his finger, but it didn’t stay up for very long. And the second attempt was even worse.

But he appeared to enjoy the whole experience nonetheless.

The team also gave him a jersey with his name and the number 90 on it (because the Globetrotters are 90 years old), and they said that he could play with them as an honorary member.

Pope John Paul II was also made an honorary Golbetrotter back in 2000.

The Globetrotters posted some more images of their meeting with Francis on Twitter.

Today we met with @Pontifex (Pope Francis) & named him an Honorary @Globies. Photo © L'Osservatore Romano Foto. pic.twitter.com/zvzV7QgWz2

— Harlem Globetrotters (@Globies) May 6, 2015

Doing God’s work all day can make a man hungry.

In a recent TV interview in Mexico, Pope Francis said that there was one thing he really didn’t like about his job.

“The only thing I would like is to go out one day, without being recognized, and go to a pizzeria for a pizza,” he said.

This past weekend, his wish was – sort of – granted.

Francis motorcade was making its way through Naples on Sunday, when a man named Enzo Cacialli ran up to him and handed him a pie with the words “Il Papa” written out in dough.

Probably not the best idea in the world to sprint towards the popemobile like a maniac, but no one seemed to mind.

Cacialli is co-owner of Pizzeria Don Ernesto, which also gave a pizza to Bill Clinton in 1994.

Here’s a closr look at the Pope’s pie from the Pizzeria “Don Ernesto” Facebook page which was topped with yellow cherry tomatoes and mozzarella di bufala: