Serie A Matches Postponed Following Death of Pope Francis
Italian top-flight fixtures rescheduled as nation mourns the passing of the pontiff
All four Serie A matches scheduled for Monday have been postponed in the wake of Pope Francis’ death, as Italy observes a period of national mourning.
The Vatican confirmed on Monday morning that Pope Francis had passed away at the age of 88. He had recently been discharged from hospital after undergoing five weeks of treatment for an infection.
The postponed fixtures — Torino vs Udinese, Cagliari vs Fiorentina, Genoa vs Lazio, and Parma vs Juventus — were originally set to take place on Easter Monday, a public holiday in Italy. These matches will now be played on Wednesday, 23 April, with kick-off set for 17:30 BST.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected head of the Catholic Church in 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI. A lifelong football enthusiast, he was a devoted supporter of Argentine club San Lorenzo.
The club paid tribute in a heartfelt message:
“Our hearts ache. Pope Francis has left this world, but he will never leave our hearts. An honorary member of our club, his passion for San Lorenzo always moved us. We remain united in prayer for his soul.”
Several Serie A teams also issued statements expressing their condolences.
“A loss that deeply saddens our city and the entire world,” read a message from AS Roma. “His faith, humility, courage, and dedication touched the hearts of millions, making him a moral reference point of our era.”
