Vatican cricket team heads to London for UK tour
Matches with the England seniors and King Charles' team are on the agenda for the Vatican cricket team, which arrives in the UK on Friday.
By Joseph Tulloch – Fiumicino Airport, Rome
The Vatican cricket team is heading to London for its tenth 'Light of Faith' tour.
This year's edition will see Vatican take on England Over 60s, St Mary's University and, in a highly anticipated match at Windsor Castle, the King's XI.
Friendship, unity, hope
This is the team's tenth 'Light of Faith' tour since forming in 2014; previous destinations have included Portugal, Italy, Argentina, Kenya, Malta, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The aim of this year's trip is, as always, to promote dialogue and friendship between the Catholic Church and the host country. A post on the team's social media pages speaks of “spreading the message of friendship, unity and evangelical hope.”
Emphasis is also placed on the fact that the actors, all seminarians and priests based in Rome, are “ambassadors” of the Catholic priesthood.
As team director Father Eamonn O'Higgins reminded the team at a meeting in Rome before departure, they may well be the only Catholic priests many of those they interact with will ever meet.
The Vatican (St. Peter's) cricket team with Pope Francis recently
Sport: A bridge in dark times
The Vatican team – officially the Vatican (St. Peter's) Cricket Team – is part of Athletica Vaticana, an umbrella organisation for all Vatican athletes.
Earlier this year, Pope Francis thanked Athletica Vaticana for its commitment to “promoting fraternity, inclusion and solidarity” and to “bear witness to the Christian faith among athletes.”
“In the particularly dark historical moment we are experiencing,” said the Pope, “sport can build bridges, break down barriers and promote peaceful relations.”
Visit
The Vatican team will arrive in London around midday UK time on Friday June 28.
On Saturday June 29 they will play their first two matches, both against the England Over-60s team at Wormsley Estate.
The next match will take place on Monday 1 July, when the team travel to Arundel Castle to face St. Mary's University, a Catholic institution based in Twickenham.
On Wednesday, they will face the King's XI, King Charles' team, at Windsor Castle, one of the residences of the British royal family.
After a visit to Westminster Abbey on Thursday 4 July, the team will return to Rome on 5 June.
Vatican News will accompany the team throughout the visit, providing regular updates and match reports.
The program of the visit
