Can Pope provide a derby miracle?
BLACK Cats fans have turned to divine intervention as tomorrow’s Wear- Tyne derby showdown nears - they’ve got the Pope himself to become a Sunderland supporter.
SAFC club chaplain Father Marc Lyden- Smith passed on the famous redand- white stripes to Pope Francis during a trip to the Vatican in Rome.
In pictures that have now been beamed around the world, the head of the Catholic church was seen sizing up his new shirt, which is emblazoned with “Papa Francesco” on the back.
It is hoped that the Wearsiders’ prayers will be answered and a badly- needed win will be granted against arch rivals Newcastle United at the Stadium of Light.
Gus Poyet’s side lie bottom of the Premier League table with just one point from their opening eight games.
Lifelong Black Cats supporter Fr Marc, who was on the trip to Italy along with the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle as part of a pilgrimage, tweeted after: “Delighted to say that I’ve just met the Pope and presented him with a Sunderland strip.”
The Pontiff then took the gift back into St Peter’s Basilica with him.
Fr Marc, who is a priest at St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral in Newcastle, said: “I was very lucky to get the chance to meet him at all as there were 120,000 people there.
“After I had given him the shirt he actually took it back into St Peter’s with him.
“He said he would be looking out for the result on Sunday. He wasn’t picking sides but I did ask him to pray for Sunderland and he said that he would.”