chats about football
Rio team at Vatican
The Holy Father chatted about football when he granted a special audience last week to the 22 Italian footballers who are leaving Rome soon for the world championships in Rio.
At the end of the half-hour audience the players presehted the Pope with two silver candlesticks— and then offered him 20 footballs to he distributed among amateur football clubs in the Rome area.
The players wore their royal blue international colours, and were introduced to the Pope by Giulio Onesti, President of the Italian Olympic Committee.
Trainers, referees and doctors who will accompany the team were also in the group.
The Pope, who is keenly interested in sport of all kinds, had each player presented to him individually. He asked each man his position on the field and displayed great interest in football tactics for each position.
The Holy Father also chatted to the team about Brazil, which he visited before he became Pope, gave the team a special blessing, and presented each player with a Holy Year Medal.