Pope Francis contrasted Celtic Football Club’s origin story as a force for alleviating poverty with the money washing through the modern game during a Vatican meeting with team manager Brendan Rodgers and several players.
The Pontiff made time for the Celtic delegation despite concerns over his health which have forced him to scale back many engagements.
During the private audience Francis made light of his health struggles by telling the gathering he had a cold but was feeling better than the previous day.
Mr Rodgers, who was born in Carnlough, gifted him with a Celtic jersey that read ‘Francis’ on the back.
Pope Francis emphasised the club’s founding as a means to alleviate poverty in Glasgow, noting that the “financial footprint” of the game “has greatly increased” since then.
Mr Rodgers, seven players (Callum McGregor, Liam Scales, Stephen Welsh, Mikey Johnston, Anthony Ralston, Paulo Bernardo, and Cameron Carter-Vickers), majority shareholder Dermot Desmond, and chairman Peter Lawwell flew to the Holy See before of their return to Glasgow.
Celtic FC issued the following statement on social media: “Today at the Vatican….staff and players were honoured to be granted an audience with his Holy Father, Pope Francis.”
The audience followed the team’s Champions League defeat at the hands of Lazio in Rome on Tuesday evening.
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