A significant day in the Vatican and an intense spiritual experience for six national teams of Cucine Lube Civitanova, received today by Pope Francis in a private audience in the delegation of the Italian men’s and women’s volleyball selections A memorable date for volleyball in the Belpaese and for the six registered cooks: the world and European champions Simone Anzani, Fabio Balaso and Mattia Bottolo, the U21 and continental U22 champion Mattia Gottardo and the U20 European champions Ionut Ambrose and Gaetano Penna, already winners at the Eyof Youth Olympics.
Almost 200 people, including athletes and staff, led by the Fipav President Giuseppe Manfredi and by the Secretary General Stefano Bellotti, experienced an unforgettable day, characterized by the speech of the Holy Father, who defined sport as a “convincing sign of unity and integration, bearer of a message”.
Center back Ionut Ambrose, born in 2004, born in San Severino Marche, was deeply impressed by what turned out to be one of the most profound experiences of his life. Already featured in the youth teams of the red and white Academy and in the national youth teams, the 210 cm giant is now part of the roster of the Italian champions.
“I will keep such a beautiful and exciting day etched in my memory forever – said Ambrose, the only one from the Marches among the six red and white musketeers in the Sala Clementina of the Apostolic Palace -. I got goosebumps when I saw the Holy Father, but also when my teammates and the staff with whom I won the European Youth Championship arrived, it was like reliving those moments. I couldn’t have asked for anything better than sharing the day in the Vatican with my peers from the national team and my comrades from Lube, who are points of reference for me. Just as from today the words of Pope Francis will be, who compared the fundamentals of volleyball to the difficulties of everyday life. I return to the Marches enriched by this visit and I will continue to reconcile my studies with the utmost commitment in view of the final exam and training with Lube, in the hope of helping my teammates in the gym and perfecting my playing technique”.
