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Catholic Church offers special prayer for 2010 FIFA World Cup

07 February 2010 02:37 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. The Catholic Church in South Africa said it has prepared a special prayer for the 2010 FIFA World Cup as part of a series of initiatives to ensure the success of the upcoming football event, APA reports citing RIA Novosti.

This year’s World Cup will be hosted for the first time in the history of football by an African nation. It will be held in South Africa from June 11 to July 11.

South African Catholic Bishop’s Conference (SACBC) said on its website that the Church in South Africa wanted to contribute to the success of the World Cup in its own way by offering a prayer dedicated to the tournament.

"Almighty God, creator of all, as people from every nation gathers with excitement
and enthusiasm for the 2010 World Soccer Cup may South Africans be good hosts, and our visitors, welcomed guests and the players from every team be blessed with good sportsmanship and health," the prayer begins. It also calls on players and all involved to promote the spirit of fairness, justice and peace.

The upcoming tournament will involve 32 national teams from 6 confederations. Russia has failed to make the tournament after a catastrophic defeat to tiny Slovenia in a World Cup play-off last year. During the 18 World Cup tournaments that have been held since 1930, seven nations have won the title.

Brazil is the only team to have played in every tournament and have won the World Cup a record five times. Italy is the current champions and has won four titles, and Germany are next with three. The other former champions are Uruguay, winners of the inaugural tournament, and Argentina, with two titles each, and England and France, with one title each.