The memory of Pelé remains indelible and encourages new generations to take up sports, Pope Francis said in a message read on Friday during a ceremony at the foot of Monte Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro, marking the first anniversary of the death of ‘ the king’ was celebrated.
The letter from the Argentine Pope, a well-known football fan, was read at an event where a special projection “wrapped” the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer onto the yellow-green shirt of the Brazilian team.
In front of the 30-meter Christ with outstretched arms at the top of Corcovado Hill, with a shirt projected for minutes in which the number 10 on the shirt of the three-time world champion and his symbolic signature stood out, dozens of fans paid tribute to the one who is considered the best football player of all time.
The Pope stated in his message:
Pelé, as Mr. Edson Arantes do Nascimento was known worldwide, was undoubtedly an athlete who demonstrated in his life the positive qualities of playing sports.
The memory of the “King of Football” remains indelible in the minds of many and encourages new generations to see sport as a means of strengthening the bonds of unity between us.
The Pope assured that Christian virtues such as perseverance and perseverance are necessary to practice any sporting activity and that a good practice of sport, as Pelé did, helps strengthen the bonds of true friendship and brotherhood between people and between cities.
The letter ends with a lively tribute to the performance of the Rio de Janeiro Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Therefore, I would like to spiritually commit myself to this gesture of tribute, sending my blessing to the participants and my request to everyone not to stop praying for me.
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Due to the importance of this Brazilian city in Pelé’s career, the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro decided to join the bodies paying tribute on the first anniversary of the death of the man considered the best athlete of the 20th century.
In Rio de Janeiro, ‘the king’, who died of cancer on December 29, 2022 at the age of 82, won two world titles with Santos; who scored his thousandth goal in the equally legendary Maracanã; and that he parted ways with the Brazilian team.
The first anniversary of his death was celebrated this Friday with several tributes across Brazil, as well as messages and videos from entities such as FIFA, Conmebol and the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF), as well as clubs such as Santos, the only club where Pelé defended his 17 years professional football in Brazil.
(With information from EFE)
Source: La Neta Neta
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
