The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has deleted a social media put up and apologised for any potential offence after joking that the Pope “loves the Ashes”.
On Ash Wednesday the Pope, who has been in hospital for 3 weeks, mentioned on X, “The Ashes remind us of who we’re, which does us good.
“It places us in our place, smooths out the tough edges of our narcissism, brings us again to actuality, and makes us extra humble and open to 1 one other. None of us is God; we’re all on a journey.”
The ECB responded to the put up saying, “Even @Pontifex loves The Ashes.” A spokesman for the ECB later apologised for the “ill-judged” put up, which was additionally deleted.
The Ashes of Christianity
Historically on Ash Wednesday many Christians place ash on their brow within the form of a cross. This marks the start of the interval of Lent main as much as Easter. The ashes are a reminder of mortality and the phrases in Genesis that man got here from the mud and should return to the mud.
The ashes may also be an indication that one belongs to Jesus, as they’re marked on the brow (as in Revelation) and a logo of mourning or repentance.
The Ashes of Cricket
The Ashes is the title given to a sequence of take a look at matches between England and Australia. Its title derives from a newspaper column commenting on Australia’s first ever win in England in 1882, through which it was said, “the physique [of English cricket] shall be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia”.
The Ashes is sort of presumably the oldest sporting rivalry on the earth, courting again because it does, arguably to 1877 when the primary take a look at match was performed in Melbourne.
It is usually fairly presumably probably the most healthful sporting rivalry on the earth. Whereas fiercely contested by either side, there are not any darkish historic undertones to it, as could be the case with say, England vs Germany or England vs Argentina in soccer or India vs Pakistan in cricket.
