At the Olympics, athletes show guts, glory – and a lot of ink, including tattoos that profess their faith

Argentina’s Rodrigo Isgro walks off the field after a men’s rugby sevens practice at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. AP Photo/David Goldman At the Summer Games, in particular, lots of skin is on display, and many athletes use it as a testament to faith. There’s Anthony Davis – usually playing for the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers – with a cross and praying hands across his forearm. Fellow basketball pro Jayson Tatum, of the Boston Celtics, has a collection of religious tattoos, including “God’s will” and “Proverbs 3:5-6” across his back. by Gustavo Morello, Boston College This has been a wonderful summer if you follow sports: tennis championships, end-of-season tournaments and soccer’s European Championship and Copa America – all leading up to the most global event of all, the Olympics. The Olympic Games began as a religious celebration in ancient Greece, with competitions to honor their gods. But the Olympics declined once the Roman Empire replaced Greek power in the Mediterranean; the final blow came from the Christian Emperor Theodosius I, who saw the Games as a stage for paganism. At the end of the 19th century, the modern iteration of the Games began – minus religion. This time, they were...