“Being close to him is like approaching a source of spiritual energy. I gave him my guitar as a sign of respect”: B.B. King once gifted one of his Gibson Lucille guitars to the Pope – now it’s up for sale

BB King performs on stage at Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, New Jersey, United States, January 2 1997.

In 1997, B.B. King gifted one of his “Lucille” guitars to Pope John Paul II. 27 years later, this guitar is now up for auction.

“Lucille” is the umbrella name B.B. King gave to his guitars. This particular “Lucille” is a Gibson-made version of the original.