Moscow: Italy’s major football league, Serie A, has moved its games scheduled for April 21 following the passing of Pope Francis, the league said on Monday.
According to Namibia Press Agency, earlier in the day, the Holy See announced that Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, confirmed that Pope Francis died at 5:35 GMT.
“Following the passing of His Holiness, Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A can confirm that today’s league games in Serie A and Primavera 1 have been postponed. The date of the rearranged fixtures will be announced in due course,” Serie A stated on X.
The league had four games scheduled for Monday, namely Torino-Udinese, Cagliari-Fiorentina, Genoa-Lazio, and Parma-Juventus.
On Sunday, Pope Francis made his last public appearance, addressing people from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican with the Easter message. After greeting the crowd, he passed the word to Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, who read an appeal and a blessing, “Urbi et Orbi” (“For the City and the World”), on behalf of the Pope. In what became his last message to the world, the Pope called for an end to military conflicts in different regions and help for the people who suffer.