VATICAN CITY, VATICAN — The scheduled four Serie A football matches for Monday have been postponed as a mark of respect following the death of Pope Francis.
The Vatican announced on Monday morning that Pope Francis had passed away at the age of 88, after recently being discharged from hospital following a five-week stay for infection treatment.
The four Serie A matches—Torino vs. Udinese, Cagliari vs. Fiorentina, Genoa vs. Lazio, and Parma vs. Juventus—were originally scheduled to be played on Easter Monday, a national holiday in Italy.
The governing body overseeing the Italian top flight has confirmed that these fixtures will be rescheduled at a later date.
Pope Francis was elected to lead the Catholic Church in 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI.
The 88-year-old was a known football enthusiast and had been a lifelong supporter of the Argentine club San Lorenzo.
Following news of his passing, numerous Serie A clubs issued tributes to the Pope.
“A loss that deeply saddens our city and the entire world,” read a statement from AS Roma. “His faith, his humility, his courage and his dedication have touched the hearts of millions of people, making him a moral reference of our time.”