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Jim Harbaugh meets Pope Francis, gives him unusual Michigan gifts

By Alex Butler
A handout picture provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano shows Pope Francis (R) being presented with a football helmet by Jim Harbaugh (L), head football coach for the University of Michigan on Wednesday during the weekly general audience in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Photo courtesy of Osservatore Romano/Handout/EPA
A handout picture provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano shows Pope Francis (R) being presented with a football helmet by Jim Harbaugh (L), head football coach for the University of Michigan on Wednesday during the weekly general audience in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Photo courtesy of Osservatore Romano/Handout/EPA

April 27 (UPI) -- How do you go about finding out what size Jordans the pope wears?

The Michigan football team took a break from its practice in Rome Wednesday to make a visit and gift presentation to the Pope.

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Coach Jim Harbaugh's team is partaking in an Italian offseason workout program. On Wednesday, the 'training' included a pizza party at Le Officine del Pizzo and a visit with His Holiness.

Harbaugh, his wife Sarah, and a bulk of the Wolverines' football squad attended Pope Francis' address at St. Peter's square in Vatican City.

The coach gave Pope Francis a pair of maize and blue Air Jordan 5's and a Michigan helmet, with its trademark school colors and design, and a No. 266 sticker slapped onto it.

Pope Francis serves as the 266th pope.

"He looked at the helmet and he took the pair of Jordan sneakers, it was a box, helmet on top, and he took it and he smiled and nodded his head and then gave it to somebody next to him," Harbaugh told the Detroit News.

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"I'm not sure the Holy Father knows a lot about football Americano, but he doesn't need to."

A gift to His Holiness from our team. #HAILROMA #GoBlue #HailEquipment

A post shared by Michigan Football (@umichfootball) on

On Thursday, the Wolverines began its first day of football activities at the Giulio Onesti Olympic Training Center. It will have a scrimmage Saturday in Rome.

"I was able to shake hands with the Holy Father. He is very personable and very informal that way. Very humble, and wonderful, beautiful," Harbaugh told the Big Ten Network. "It's in the eyes."

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"The trip to the Vatican is an optional activity, just as all other aspects of the trip to Italy are at the discretion of the student-athlete," a team spokesman told MLive.

"That was made clear early in the planning process by coach Harbaugh, was reinforced prior to our departure and even discussed while in Rome."

In a recent Ted Talk video, Pope Francis called on the powerful to "act humbly" and called for a worldwide "revolution."

"Tenderness is not weakness; it is fortitude," Pope Francis said in the Ted Talk video. "It is the path of solidarity, the path of humility. Please, allow me to say it loud and clear: The more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly. If you don't, your power will ruin you, and you will ruin the other," he said.

Harbaugh is 20-6 overall in two seasons as Michigan coach.

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