Pilgrims flock to pay tribute to pope lying in state
Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the beautiful game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with football metaphors in his homeland.
Pope Francis’s funeral will be held on Saturday, the Vatican announced, as world leaders from US President Donald Trump to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky said they would attend to honour the Catholic leader.
Pope Francis died yesterday, aged 88, prompting mourning across the world for the energetic reformer who inspired devotion from Catholics but riled traditionalists during a 12-year papacy.
Football is often compared to a religion for its fans, and Francis held numerous giant masses in football stadiums during trips abroad.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid were also among a slew of top-flight clubs joining La Liga in expressing their condolences for Francis.
The Italian football federation (FIGC) announced that all games across professional and amateur football on Monday would be rescheduled to a later date.
Following are reactions to death o Pope Francis
Here are some facts about Pope Francis, who has died at the age of 88
Pope Francis compares gossip to terrorism, saying it acts like bombs to destroy communities and harmony. “Gossiping is a kind of terrorism,” he told a gathering of Catholic cardinals, bishops, priests, nuns and brothers at the 16th century Portuguese church at Tejgaon in Dhaka.
For the first time on his Asia tour, Pope Francis referred to the Rohingya people by name yesterday and assured them of continued support so that they can get their rights back.
Pope Francis refers to refugees who have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh as "Rohingya", using the politically sensitive name for the persecuted minority for the first time on an Asia tour dominated by their plight after meeting some of them in Dhaka.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina makes a courtesy call on Pope Francis at Vatican Embassy in Dhaka.
Pope Francis celebrates a Holy Mass, a prayer service, at the Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on the second day of his visit to Bangladesh.
Pope Francis yesterday called for "decisive" international action on the Rohingya refugee crisis as he began a visit to Bangladesh, where more than 620,000 of the Muslim minority have sought sanctuary after fleeing violence in Myanmar.
Pope Francis is the first pope from the Americas, hailing from Argentina, which is more famous for its football.
Pope Francis says the international community must take "decisive measures" to address the Rohingya crisis taking into account the "gravity of the situation".
We would like to extend a warm welcome to Pope Francis who is in Bangladesh on a three-day visit. This is a historic moment for us and for the Christian community in Bangladesh in particular.
Pope Francis calls on the people of Myanmar to embrace peace and reconciliation on the third day of his visit fraught with diplomatic risk over a military crackdown that has triggered the flight of about 625,000 Muslim Rohingyas from the predominantly Buddhist country.
