He ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE It was one of the first viral campaigns, as well as one of the most successful of the last decade. With its boom in 2014, it managed to raise millions of dollars for research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ELA).
The singer Shakira and his then partner, the former soccer player Gerard Piquéthey did not fall behind and accepted the challenge, to which They dared to challenge Pope Francisdeceased on Monday, April 21 at 88.
What was the ICE Bucket Challenge?
He ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE It consisted of throw an icy water on the head and nominate other people To do the same. Those who did not accept the challenge should make a donation to the Alss Association, an organization dedicated to the fight against ELA.
The campaign became a global phenomenon, with the participation of celebrities, politicians and even entrepreneurs. In just a few weeks, more than 112 billion Colombian pesos were raised, an unprecedented figure for the cause.
Shakira and Piqué doing the Bucket Challenge
Shakira and Piqué shared their participation in the challenge through social networks. The singer nominated Pope Francis and Chris Martin, vocalist of Coldplaywhile Piqué chose his fellow soccer players Cesc Fàbregas and Sergio Ramos, in addition to the pilot Marc Márquez.
The couple’s video quickly went viral, along with the thousands of celebrity publications that supported the cause. The initiative not only generated awareness of the ELA, but also showed the solidarity side of public figures.
Did Francis respond to Bucket Challenge?
The Vatican never issued an official statement on whether Pope Francis accepted the challenge. However, the nomination of Shakira and Juan Sepúlveda, a Puerto Rican patient with ELA, They put the pontiff at the center of the conversation.
Although Francisco participated, the symbolic gesture helped maintain the focus on the campaign. The lack of response did not prevent the ICE Bucket Challenge from continuing to add adherents and donations.
Francisco’s indirect after Shakira’s song against Piqué
In January 2023, Pope Francis published a message on Twitter that many interpreted as an allusion to the situation between Shakira and Piqué, who ended their relationship on behalf of his infidelity scandal with Clara Chía.
People’s opinions about that “indirect”
Although the tweet did not mention the singer, the users linked him to her song with Bizarrap, at that time recently launched, in which she hardly criticized her ex -partner.
Shakira’s followers celebrated the Pope’s alleged support, arguing that Piqué had been unfaithful at home they shared with their children. Some even cited biblical passages about fidelity in marriage. Others, on the other hand, considered that the interpretation was exaggerated and that the Pontiff’s message was a general reflection.
The truth is that the tweet fueled the debate on the separation of the couple and the position of the church before similar situations. The networks exploded with theories, although the Vatican never clarified whether there was a hidden intention.
He ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE Not only did he unite Shakira and Piqué in a solidarity cause, but also indirectly linked them to Pope Francis. With his death, this episode remains as a curious anecdote of how the world of entertainment and religion can cross unexpected ways.
