Argentina, Germany head to World Cup without papal intervention despite homegrown pontiffs Published July 10, 2014 ·Associated Press VATICAN CITY – The Vatican says it is unlikely that Pope Francis and his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, would get together to watch their home teams in the World Cup final on Sunday. Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said Thursday that the hour of the final is late for Francis routine, and acknowledged with a chuckle that Benedict wasnt known as an avid sports fan. Still, he didnt rule anything out, saying, well see in the coming days. Pope Francis has already given his word that there would be no papal intervention in Argentinas fortunes, promising he wouldnt pray for any team. German-born Benedicts interests are known to lean more toward intellectual than athletic pursuits. Lombardi said both would want the better team to win, without taking sides.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 12:26:13 +0000