Pope Francis’ death prompts top Italian soccer league to postpone matches as tributes pour in

The top soccer league successful Italy has postponed its matches scheduled for Monday pursuing the decease of Pope Francis, who, astatine 88, precocious fell sick and was hospitalized with treble pneumonia.

Four Serie A matches were postponed to a aboriginal date, the Italian shot league announced successful a station connected X. 

Pope Francis holds a acquisition of FC Bayern Muenchen during an backstage assemblage with the squad successful the Palace of the Vatican connected Oct. 22, 2014. (Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)

"Following the passing of His Holiness, Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A tin corroborate that today's league games successful Serie A and Primavera 1 person been postponed," the station read. "The day of the rearranged fixtures volition beryllium announced successful owed course." 

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Matches betwixt Torino and Udinese, Cagliari and Fiorentina, Genoa and Lazio, and Parma vs. Juventus were each impacted by the postponement. 

Pope Francis passed aboriginal Monday morning, conscionable a time aft helium appeared successful St. Peter’s Square successful Vatican City successful grant of the Easter celebration. From the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, helium performed a blessing connected the thousands of radical successful attendance. 

His quality connected Sunday came weeks aft helium was hospitalized for a respiratory situation that developed into treble pneumonia. He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy.

Pope Francis is fixed a garment from San Lorenzo, the Buenos Aires shot team, arsenic helium greets the faithful earlier Easter Mass connected March 31, 2013 successful Vatican City. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

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Tributes poured successful for Pope Francis, who was known arsenic an avid shot instrumentality and a protagonist of his beloved Buenos Aires club, San Lorenzo. 

"Italian shot joins successful the mourning of millions of radical pursuing the decease of Pope Francis. He was a large illustration of Christian caring and dignity successful the look of suffering and helium was ever attentive to the sports satellite and peculiarly soccer, of which helium was a fan," Italian shot federation president Gabriele Gravina said successful a statement. 

"He volition ever stay successful the hearts of the faithful and lovers of soccer."

Pope Francis exchanges gifts with Gianluigi Buffon of Italy during an assemblage astatine The Vatican connected Aug. 13, 2013. (Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

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Former skipper of Italy’s nationalist squad Gianluigi Buffon, who met with the pope connected respective occasions, called Francis a "special pope" successful a station connected Instagram. 

"Francis was a peculiar pope, capable to illuminate successful his clip similar lone the top can," his station work successful part. "He showed america the mode with large courageousness and moved our souls. I volition transportation his illustration everlastingly successful my heart."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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