Pope vs Pope: World Cup finalists can both claim divine support
Argentina and Germany both have a living pontiff in the Vatican, causing Italian media to pronounce Sunday's final the 'derby between two popes'
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Pope Francis, right, greets Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery Photo: AFP
It is unlikely to prompt raucous cheering and jeering within the thick stone
walls of the Vatican, but for the first time in history the two nations who
will meet in the World Cup final will be able to look to living popes from
their home countries for divine inspiration.
Argentina will be hoping for a blessing from their countryman Pope Francis,
who is a keen football fan and was archbishop of Buenos Aires before being
elected head of the Roman Catholic Church last year.
Germany, their opponents, can take comfort from the fact that they too have a
presence within the Holy See - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who was born in
Bavaria and now lives a life of prayer and seclusion in a former convent
within the Vatican City State.
The fact that the two popes' nationalities coincide with the teams who made it
through to the final of the tournament in Brazil provoked amusement in
Italy.
"Derby between the two popes," was the headline used by Ansa, the
country's national news agency.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/10960515/Pope-vs-Pope-World-Cup-finalists-can-both-claim-divine-support.html
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