Pope Francis Unintentionally Roots for New Orleans Saints
The Unlikely Fan
The New Orleans Saints may be having a tough season, but they can count on one fan who is still rooting for them – Pope Francis. The Vatican’s official Twitter account, @Pontifex, has been inadvertently tweeting about the Saints since November 1, All Saints Day.
The Automatic Function
The issue arose due to an automatic function on X, formerly Twitter, which adds the fleur-de-lis emoji to the hashtag #Saints. This has led to the impression that the pope is talking about the team, when in fact he is extolling the virtues of actual saints.
The Comments Section
The comments section on the papal tweets has blown up, with more than twice as many comments as normal @Pontifex tweets. Saints fans have been lamenting their team’s losses and welcoming the firing of Coach Dennis Allen. Non-Saints fans have even asked the pope for a blessing for their own teams.
The Fix
The Rev. Matthew Schneider, a prominent voice on Catholic Twitter, has been trying to get the Vatican communications office to fix the issue for five years. He has urged the office to check the hashtags before posting. However, it seems that the issue remains unresolved.
The Pope’s Other Interests
For the record, Pope Francis is a lifelong fan of the San Lorenzo soccer club of his native Buenos Aires. Despite his unintentional support for the Saints, it seems that his true loyalties lie elsewhere.
Conclusion
While the Saints may not be having the best season, they can take comfort in knowing that they have at least one fan in the Vatican. However, it remains to be seen whether the pope will continue to inadvertently root for the team.
FAQs
Q: Why is the Vatican’s Twitter account tweeting about the New Orleans Saints?
A: The issue arose due to an automatic function on X, formerly Twitter, which adds the fleur-de-lis emoji to the hashtag #Saints.
Q: Is the pope a fan of the Saints?
A: No, the pope is a lifelong fan of the San Lorenzo soccer club of his native Buenos Aires.
Q: Will the Vatican communications office fix the issue?
A: It seems that the issue remains unresolved, despite efforts by the Rev. Matthew Schneider to get the office to fix it.
Q: Can the pope bless other teams?
A: It seems that the pope is only willing to bless actual saints, not NFL teams.
