The Vatican and cycling

At the start of the 20th century, cycling in Europe had become so popular that it led to the creation of the Tour de France in 1903 and the Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy) in 1909.

Believing that there is something profoundly Christian behind all these sporting passions, Pope Pius X (1903-1914) blessed an amateur cycling race starting from Rome.  His successor, Pope Benedict XV (1914–1922) did the same some years later.   From then on, cycling was perceived as a virtuous practice.

Papal passion for cycling literally and figuratively took its “holiness” when Pope Pius XII (1939-1958) famously had a chapel built on the heights of Ghisallo Pass, a steep 9.4km climb in the Tour of Lombardi.   This is Lombardi’s version of TdF’s brutal and legendary 23km Galibier Pass where countless heroic and memorable performances were made.

First crossed in the Tour de France in1911, the Galibier Pass in the French Alps had been crossed more than 60 times in the history of the race.  It is reported to be TdF’s hardest climb and one of the highest points reached in the race.

During this period, 2-time Tour de France winner Gino Bartali had become instrumental in letting Jewish families escape from Mussolini’s Fascism and Hitler’s Nazism during World War 2.

Known as ‘Gino the Pious’, he transported false papers inside the frame of his bike, delivering them to different monasteries.  It allowed safe passage to those most vulnerable during those times.  Israel now recognizes Bartali as “Righteous Among Nations”.

Pope Paul VI (1963-1978), a fervent advocate of physical exercise, acknowledged that he had a real passion for cycling since early childhood.  At the start of the Giro d’Italia in 1964, he addressed the racers which included cycling legends Eddy Merckx and Felix Gimondi.

In his speech, Pope Paul VI said, “Sports are a symbol of spiritual reality which constitutes the hidden but essential fabric of our lives.  Life is an effort, life is an ordeal, life is a risk, life is a race, life is hope for a goal that transcends the scene of common experience, which the soul glimpses and religion presents to us.”

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Losing is a bitter pill to swallow, especially if you lose to a nobody and foolish pride takes over because it clouds sensible judgement.  So what if you’ll be spending millions of pesos more in the arrogant pursuit to correct the supposed mistakes.  Yes, even if the results are as clear as daylight and say you’ve placed third in the race and a perfect walloping had been done to one in another race.   Humility and acceptance are words that need to be introduced to these people.