Bless! The Vatican Is Getting Its Own Sports Teams

Published Jan 11, 2019

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6:43pm

Sports and God: aka a match made in heaven.

The Vatican just announced today that it will aim to qualify to compete in the 2020 Olympics, according to CNN.

The Holy See now has a track team made up of 60 athletes, including nuns, priests, Swiss Guards, museum workers, carpenters and maintenance workers. The Vatican City received approval from the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) to become a member of international sports federations on Thursday.

For now, the pontificate’s joggers are running on a prayer (had to). They’re the only athletic team of the Vatican…for now. But we’re holding our holy breath for figure-skating priests, pole-vaulting nuns…even dove-throwing as a sport, if it’s ever added to the official Summer Games.

A team with God on their side? How could they lose?

Roberta Fiorito

Director, Branded Content + Cohost, Royally Obsessed Podcast

As Director of Branded Content at Gallery Media Group, Roberta helps oversee the ideation and execution of sponsored content and experiential campaigns across PureWow and ONE37pm, including PureWow’s 24 in ’24. She began her career in editorial nine years ago, and has written and edited countless articles on news, trends, fashion, beauty and the royal family. She’s also cohost of the Royally Obsessed podcast, named one of the best royals podcasts by The New York Times and Town & Country. She cowrote the book Royal Trivia: Your Guide to the Modern British Royal Family.

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