All scheduled football matches in Italy have been postponed in a national gesture of mourning following the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
The Vatican announced earlier today that the Argentine-born pontiff, the first from Latin America, died peacefully in the early hours of the morning. In response, the Lega Serie A confirmed the suspension of all senior men’s and Primavera (Under-20) top-flight fixtures planned for the day.
In a statement, Serie A said: “Following the passing of the Holy Father, the Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A announces that the matches scheduled for today of the Serie A Enilive and Primavera 1 Championships are postponed to a date to be determined.”
Four Serie A matches had been scheduled for Easter Monday:
- Torino vs. Udinese (11:30 AM BST)
- Cagliari vs. Fiorentina (2:00 PM)
- Genoa vs. Lazio (5:00 PM)
- Parma vs. Juventus (7:45 PM)
In the Primavera 1 league, three youth fixtures were also called off:
- Roma U20 vs. Udinese U20
- Monza U20 vs. Sassuolo U20
- Sampdoria U20 vs. Torino U20
New dates for the postponed matches have yet to be announced.
The announcement of Pope Francis’ passing was delivered by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, from the chapel at the Domus Santa Marta, where the Pope had resided.
“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” Cardinal Farrell said. “His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised.”
He concluded, “With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite, merciful love of God, One and Triune.”
Pope Francis had battled chronic lung disease for much of his life, having one lung partially removed in his youth. He was admitted to Gemelli Hospital on February 14 after a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He remained hospitalized for 38 days—his longest stay since becoming pope in 2013.
Despite his fragile health, Pope Francis made one final public appearance on Easter Sunday, blessing thousands of worshippers in St. Peter’s Square—a moment that now serves as his farewell to the world.
