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A birthday present for Pope Francis

2022-12-19T11:11:33.080Z


The Cup will go down in history as the football trophy applauded and surely blessed for the first time by a successor to the Apostle Peter.


Pope Francis received Lionel Messi on a couple of occasions.EFE

Pope Francis, the first Argentine pontiff of the Church, turned 86 on the eve of the World Cup final and no one today who knows his passion for soccer doubts that he asked heaven for victory.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio is characterized for being the first Pope who is unique in so many facets: the first from the periphery of the world, the first to have a girlfriend, the first to stop calling himself Pope, the first who did not want to live in the luxurious Vatican Palaces, but rather in a small hotel, the first determined that women can reach the hierarchy of the Church.

And the first one who really likes football.

In the next few days we will know for sure that Francisco lived the World Cup with the passion of another Argentine, with his nerves on edge praying to his good God to perform a miracle for him as a birthday present.

And there is no doubt that he has been one of the millions of Argentines who will have thanked heaven for the miracle.

And he yelled with them.

We will soon know his reaction and happiness, becoming one more fan among millions of Argentines, because the papacy has not robbed him of his spontaneity and his taste for joy and emotions.

He is a pope who identifies with the people, above all, with whom he suffers the most and with whom he enjoys the most.

He loves life and its small happiness and is one of those who know that for millions of people in the world, simple or intellectual, hardworking or thinking, football is more than a sport.

That is why it arouses so many emotions.

And Pope Francis has not for a single day stopped feeling like one of those who enjoy between prayer and prayer watching a football game.

Yes, Francisco is the only Pope who has coincided with his country winning a soccer World Cup during his pontificate.

And as a friend who is very fond of soccer and very much of the Argentine Pope writes to me, his secret prayers may have served something, without the French hearing them, asking his God to win his Argentina.

Pope Francis reflects a rare solidarity not only with those who suffer, with those excluded from life, with those who will suffer from hunger this Christmas, but he has that rare quality of rejoicing in the happiness of others.

I have known seven popes, from Pius XII to today, and I have never seen a pontiff laugh and have so much fun, even over the smallest things.

We even know about him what he likes to eat and that he has fun cooking.

Yes, that Argentine Cup won between cramps of stress and emotion until the last penalty will go down in history as the applauded football trophy and surely blessed for the first time by a successor to the apostle Pedro.

And yes, it has also been a Papal Cup and don't let the professional atheists get angry with me, because in addition, Francisco is also the first Pope who always made good friends with those who do not believe like him.

He always said that the true believers, more than those who believe in God, are those who believe, help and love their neighbor.

"When I meet someone, I don't ask him what God he believes in, but if he cares and helps others," he wrote before becoming Pope.

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Source: elparis

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