‘Thank you for your prayers’: New Orleans Saints thank Pope Francis for his accidental blessing
Pope Francis left readers confused after a social media post accidentally generated support for the New Orleans Saints football team.
The leader of the Catholic church, Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio), issued a thoughtful message through his social media platforms about why saints are an illustration of the good in humanity.
“The #Saints are precious pearls and are always living and relevant because they provide a fascinating commentary on the Gospel,” the pope’s post began.
The pope’s message continued, “Their lives are an illustration of the Good News that Jesus brought to humanity: God is our Father, who loves everyone with boundless love.”
However, little did the pope know that his use of the hashtag “#Saints” on X would produce the NFL team’s logo, the fleur-de-lis.
Fans quickly jumped on the harmless error and connected it to the Saints’ recent firing of Coach Dennis Allen.
“Even the Pope is excited we fired Dennis Allen,” a fan quickly replied.
“Losing to the Panthers was so bad that they had to call up the Pope,” another fan wrote.
A third fan excitedly suggested that the pope’s blessing “might turn their season around.”
The Saints themselves weren’t going to let this opportunity go to waste. They soon shared the post and offered their thanks.
“Thank you for your prayers, Pontiff. We need them,” the Saints’ X post said.
Attached was a photo of Gayle Benson, owner of the football team, gifting Pope Francis his own Saints jersey that read “Papa Francesco” on the back.
Benson presented the jersey to the pope earlier in 2024 during a trip to Italy and Germany. The owner was meeting with Italian leaders in economic development and tourism to promote business opportunities in New Orleans and Louisiana as a whole.
The Saints are just 2-7 in 2024, sit dead last in the NFC, and are tied for last overall in the NFL.
Their season will not get any easier when they play the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, November 10; the Falcons lead their division with a 6-3 record.
New Orleans Saints fans dress up as the pope at FedEX Field in Maryland.Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images
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