Many followers of the hit present The Sopranos have been shocked to be taught that late actor Tony Sirico, who performed Paul ‘Paulie Walnuts’ Gualtieri in the sequence, has a brother excessive up in the Catholic church.
Father Robert Sirico – who followers of the present observed seems to be similar to Tony earlier than realising he’s his older brother – appeared on a tv broadcast from Rome discussing the continuing conclave yesterday.
Father Sirico is the co-founder of the Christian assume tank Acton Institute and a outstanding priest in the United States.
Many followers have been floored by this unusual connection, with @MorrisRadnor responding to a put up about it on X with: ‘Talk about the most random fact for the week!’
@RRL1273947 agreed: ‘You can’t make it up…’
The brothers remained shut mates up till Tony’s dying in 2022.
Father Robert introduced his passing with an emotional tribute on the time, saying: ‘It is with great sadness, but with incredible pride, love and a whole lot of fond memories, that the family of Gennaro Anthony ‘Tony’ Sirico needs to tell you of his dying on the morning of July 8, 2022.’
He continued: ‘I sensed that the end was coming. So as we sat in a private location, I pulled out a Confessional Stole from my pocket. I looked into his eyes and I said, ‘How about that confession?’ My brother agreed and I did some of the important issues a priest can do for an additional human being. I absolved him of all of his sins.’
While Tony acquired into hassle with the legislation in his youth, his brother targeted on faith from a younger age.
He stepped away from Catholicism briefly in his youth and explored the Pentecostal Church in the Nineteen Seventies, earlier than returning to the Catholic Church and making headlines when he got here out as homosexual.
(Picture: THA/REX/Shutterstock)
Father Robert was in Rome, together with many different members of the Catholic clergy, to be there through the papal conclave in the Vatican.
Earlier at this time, white smoke was seen billowing out from the Sistine Chapel, confirming to the world {that a} new Pope had been chosen.
A bell has additionally rung out to mark the election of Robert Francis Prevost as the brand new Pope.
He was elected as Pope Leo XIV and emerged onto the balcony to an eruption of applause whereas folks may very well be heard chanting his title.
Speaking in Italian, then switching to Spanish, he mentioned Pope Francis was at all times ‘courageous and blessed Rome’.
‘The pope that blessed Rome gave his blessing to the whole world on that Easter morning,’ he mentioned.
‘Let us observe up that blessing. God loves us and God loves all of you.
‘Sin will not prevail, we are all in the hands of God.’
He additionally mentioned that the Catholic Church have to be a church that ‘builds bridges’.
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