The top soccer League in Italy has postponed its matches scheduled to Monday after Pope Franci’s death, which at 88 recently became ill and was hospitalized with double pneumonia.
Four Serie A matches were postponed to a later time, Italian Football League advertised in a post on X.
Pope Francis has a gift from FC Bayern Muenchen under a private audience with the team in the Vatican’s Palace on October 22, 2014. (Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)
“After the adoption of his holiness, Lega Nazional Professionist Serie A can confirm that today’s league matches in Serie A and Primavera 1 have been postponed,” the post read. “The date of the rearranged fixtures will be announced with time.”
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Matches between Turin and Udinese, Cagliari and Fiorentina, Genova and Lazio and Parma vs. Juventus was all influenced by the postponement.
Pope Francis Went early Monday morning, just a day after he performed at St. Peter’s square in the Vatican City in honor of the Easter celebration. From the balcony in St. Peter’s Basilica he performed a blessing over the thousands of people present.
His performance on Sunday came weeks after he was hospitalized for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalization of his 12-year-old papacy.
Pope Francis gets a shirt from San Lorenzo, Buenos Aires football team as he greets the believer before Easter mass on March 31, 2013 in the Vatican City. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
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Shelf poured in for Pope Francis, known as an avid football fan and a supporter of his beloved Buenos Aires Club, San Lorenzo.
“Italian football joins the grief of millions of people after Pope Francis’ death. He was a good example of Christian care and dignity in the light of suffering, and he was always aware of the sports world and especially football, of which he was a fan,” the Italian Football Association President Gabriele Gravina said in a statement.
“He will always remain in the heart of the faithful and lovers of football.”
Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Gianluigi Buffon from Italy under an audience in the Vatican on August 13, 2013. (Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
Former captain of Italy’s national team Gianluigi Buffon, who met with the pope on several occasions, called Francis a “special pope” in a post on Instagram.
“Francis was a special pope that was able to illuminate in his time as only the biggest can,” his posts partially read. “He showed us the way with great courage and moved our souls. I will carry his example forever in my heart.”
