It happened at Christmas 1997. BB King participated together with many other musicians in the Christmas concert which was celebrated in the Vatican. In the audience granted by Pope Saint John Paul II something historic happened in the history of music. The bluesman , one of the greatest guitarists in history, gave the Pope one his most precious possessions, a Gibson made copy legendary electric guitar "Lucille". It was a gesture that the musician wanted to make as a "symbol of respect". Saint John Paul II reciprocated with a rosary. “For me it was a very emotional experience. Being close to him is like approaching a source of spiritual energy. I gave him my guitar as a sign of respect,” the king of blues told El País on that occasion . In that interview, he referred to the religious spirit and expressed his vision of spirituality and his beliefs: “Being a bluesman makes no difference when it comes to religion. A truck driver and a musician recite the same prayers when they want to turn to God,” he commented. “I think all the music in the world is brotherly, Spanish, African-American or Italian. If something difficult happens to you in life, it can be approached from the point of view of music as something sad, but also as something that cheers your soul.” The guitar was won by the Superintendent of the Gendarmerie of the Vatican on the occasion of the 2004 Epiphany Lottery, one of the events the Vatican uses for charitable purposes. Serial Number:90857366 From the moment it was received, the guitar has never been used. You can see signs of oxidation in the pickups and bridge, probably due to sweat, this oxidation has partly ruined the cover sheet inside the case, as visible from the photos.