The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issued an apology and deleted a social media post that sparked controversy after making a joke about 88-year-old and critically ill Pope Francis “loving the Ashes” in response to his Ash Wednesday message.

The incident occurred when the ECB replied to Pope Francis’ social media post on Ash Wednesday, a significant day in the Christian calendar marking the beginning of Lent. Their response referenced England’s Test series against Australia, known popularly as “The Ashes,” with the remark: “Even the Pope loves the Ashes.”

“The #Ashes remind us of who we are, which does us good. It puts us in our place, smooths out the rough edges of our narcissism, brings us back to reality, and makes us more humble and open to one another. None of us is God; we are all on a journey,” The Pope’s post read.

While some found the joke lighthearted, others deemed it inappropriate given the Pope’s critical health condition. The Vatican had earlier confirmed that Pope Francis has been hospitalised since February 14 due to double pneumonia and a complex lung infection. Though reports suggest he is stable and undergoing physical therapy, his prognosis remains uncertain.

“This was an ill-judged post and was swiftly deleted. We apologise for any offence,” An ECB spokseperson said.

Pope Francis is widely recognised for his active engagement on social media, often sharing messages of faith, wisdom, and encouragement with his followers. However, ECB’s attempt at humour did not sit well with many of his supporters, leading to swift criticism online. The backlash prompted the cricket board to delete the post and issue an apology, acknowledging that the comment was in poor taste.