At the public viewing of Pope Francis, the beloved head of the Roman Catholic Church, expectedly, there would certainly be people queued to pay their tributes, flowers, and a series of prayers. And yes, the viewing had it all, just in place. But amidst everyone who shared the grief, stood one woman who wore something nobody anticipated. What her attire said couldn’t escape the eyes of the baseball community and beyond.
On Easter morning – 21st April, 2025, the world woke up to the tragic news of Pope Francis passing away at 88 due to heart failure. And on Thursday, at the public viewing, as people gathered in formal attire, a woman was found wearing a bright San Francisco Giants jersey. It was caught on camera, and it didn’t take long for this instance to go viral.
In the midst of solemnity and quiet prayers, rituals, and everybody dressed down, the Giants’ jersey couldn’t be ignored.
Well, even though it didn’t offend the community, it definitely caught everyone off guard. Fans were amused and simply taken aback. They implied that Pope Francis wouldn’t mind it, either! Rather, he would have appreciated it. Wondering why?
You see, Pope Francis has also left a beautiful legacy for the baseball world. Yes! He signed a baseball years ago with his name, “Francis,” on it using a black marker. And now, it has certainly become a souvenir, especially after his passing. Well, his devotees and baseball fans alike have their eyes on it.
The woman wearing the Giants’ jersey somehow added a charm of lightheartedness amidst the solemnity. Fans didn’t see it coming! But now that it’s there, they didn’t take much time to chime in and share their takes.
The baseball community reacts to the unexpected Giants’ jersey at Pope Francis’ public viewing
The baseball world is not ready to forget this moment anytime soon. Seems like Pope Francis’ journey will stay in our hearts forever!
Fans drew comparisons between their personal experience and the woman wearing the Giants jersey at the public viewing: “That’s like my grandma’s funeral when my cousins showed up in their best Panthers jerseys. *edit: for context, my grandma didn’t follow sports.” Very much like spotting a woman in a Giants jersey, the fan here found it relatable. He had witnessed his cousins showing up in an out-of-place attire during his grandma’s funeral. If you see it from a different angle, the woman simply wanted to pay her tribute to Pope Francis. She didn’t care about the attire. And even if she was aware, she didn’t flinch at being her most authentic self.
Pope Francis was a long-time soccer fan. Interestingly, he also had a membership to San Lorenzo de Almagro, a soccer club. Fans who were keeping tabs on his interests pointed it out: “Jorge/Francis was a lifelong soccer fan, and supported his club the whole time. He frequently mentioned the benefits of sport for young people. I like to think he’d be cool with this.” He also played soccer as a child with his friends in his native neighbourhood. So, given his love for sports, he wouldn’t mind the woman who showed up in a baseball jersey.
Teams such as the Los Angeles “Angels” and San Diego “Padres” have angelic names attached to them. Fans humorously believed: “An Angels, or maybe Padres, jersey may have been more appropriate.” For the public viewing occasion, fans suggested that while a baseball jersey is definitely out of place, it would probably be a better fit if she were wearing a jersey with something spiritual to deal with!
Another humorous take was a straight shot at the San Francisco Giants: “If they win the World Series this year, they know who to thank now.” If you think about it, this could be a lucky charm for the Giants. Fans implied that if the woman wearing a Giants’ jersey gets the blessings of Pope Francis, and the team succeeds in the WS, they would exactly know who to thank. Did the woman think of Pope Francis’ blessings for the team and wear the tee? Maybe!
Creative wordplay at its best. Fans amusingly aligned the names of the baseball teams with Pope Francis’ life: “The Pope used to be a Cardinal, but he’s with the Angels now.” Fans referred to his transition from being the head of the Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal] to resting in peace with the [Angels] angels.
While the sight of a baseball jersey at a public viewing might seem out of place initially, it later brought some sense of lightheartedness among Pope Francis’ admirers and the baseball community alike.
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