Pope Bot begins Delaware Valley voyage after hitchBOT’s demise

As the fervor over hitchBOT's untimely demise continues to fade, 93.3 WMMR has finally found a way to absolve Philadelphia from any perceived wrongdoing: Pope Bot.

A Holy Father-inspired robot hitchhiker, Pope Bot began his trip around the Delaware Valley today in hopes that it can "prove to the Vatican that this area is a safe environment for the leader of the church," according to its online introduction.

Functionally, Pope Bot works much the same as hitchBOT: Find the little guy, pick him up, and give him a lift to his next destination. However, the difference is the apparent weekly reward for getting involved.

"There is a prize each week for one person who gives me a lift," reads Pope Bot's introduction.

With the Pope Bot already solidly into his journey, quite a bit has happened, but you can keep up with all future developments by following the #PopeBotPhilly hashtag on Twitter.

hitchBOT, of course, met his untimely end earlier this month at the hands of an unknown assailant. Currently, no culprit has been identified.