Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 on Monday morning. Known as the first Latin American pope, he had an unexpected link to the New Orleans Saints football team, partly due to his interactions on social media and a personal connection with the team’s owner.
On several occasions, Pope Francis unintentionally used the Saints’ hashtag (#Saints) in his posts on X (formerly Twitter), which automatically triggered the appearance of the team’s fleur-de-lis logo. One of the most notable instances occurred shortly after All Saints Day, on November 5. In a spiritual message, he wrote, “The #Saints are precious pearls and are always living and relevant, because they provide a fascinating commentary on the Gospel.” He emphasized the inspirational role of saints, describing them as living examples of the Good News brought by Jesus.
Interestingly, this post came just a day after the New Orleans Saints dismissed their head coach, Dennis Allen. The Pope continued to use the hashtag days later, with another post appearing on November 7.
The Pope’s connection with the Saints wasn’t limited to social media. In April of the previous year, Saints owner Gayle Benson visited the Vatican and presented Pope Francis with an official team jersey. This gesture was later highlighted by the Saints organization in their tribute to the Pope following his passing.
The team honored the late pontiff with a heartfelt message: “Our sincere prayers and thoughts on the passing of Pope Francis,” shared via their official social media accounts on Monday morning. The Pope’s legacy, both spiritual and unexpectedly sporty, was remembered fondly by fans and followers alike.
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