Russell Crowe meets Pope Francis but leaves without a ‘Noah’ endorsement

[hrmjustin]

Eric J. Lyman

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Russell Crowe, who plays the title character in the new Hollywood blockbuster “Noah,” lobbied hard for a personal audience with Pope Francis. What he got Wednesday (March 19) instead was a blessing.

Crowe used social media in recent weeks to try to cajole Francis to watch “Noah,” which has drawn fire from religious groups that say the film takes too many liberties with the biblical story of Noah’s Ark and the great flood. Crowe also asked for a private audience with the pontiff.

The Vatican’s chief spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, quashed both ideas; he said Francis would not watch the film and Crowe would not be granted a private audience.

But Crowe, along with director Darren Aronofsky and some studio officials, were in the invitation-only section of St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, where they reportedly met the pope briefly and received a blessing.

http://www.religionnews.com/2014/03/19/russell-crowe-meets-pope-francis-leaves-without-noah-endorsement/

[goldent]

1. Something makes me think that Papa Francis

is not all that enamored with Hollywood.