Enlarge image The Pope in Erfurt (© picture alliance / dpa) The diocese of Erfurt is now using articles such as banners from the Pope’s visit last year as decorative accessories. Twelve workers from a charitable organization, Christophoruswerk, associated with the Catholic Church in Erfurt, are turning the nine light-blue banners into laptop cases, bags, book covers, pencil cases and other wares, a spokesman of the diocese said on Friday in Erfurt, located in central Germany. The accessories will be adorned with the “fuit hic Papa” brand name (“The Pope was here”).

The idea for the project came from Andreas Gold, the head architect for the cathedral in Erfurt, when the some 150 square meters of fabric were to be stored after the Pope’s visit in September 2011. Gold then joined up with Jürgen Albers from Christophoruswerk in order to bring the idea to fruition. Gold remembers thinking that the items “should be things used in everyday life” and “affordable for everyone.” The banners were of high quality, giving him the idea that they could be used to protect objects from the wind and rain.

The objects have retained the original light blue color, and the banners’ design is still rather apparent in some of the objects, such as rainbows, hands or a saint. Gold said that it is quite clear from which part of the stage the objects were made if one knows beforehand how the stage was decorated.

The more than 350 accessories can be purchased this Sunday in Erfurt for between 10 and 38 euros. “Demand is huge,” Gold said. The sale should bring in about 6,000 euros and is to be donated to a good cause. The items are not going to be blessed, “but they’ll only be washed once.”