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 made his Instagram debut yesterday and the internet embraced him with open arms.
Pope Francis formally approves sainthood for Mother Teresa and set September 4 as the date for her canonisation.
A Palestinian teacher wins a $1m for global teaching prize - the award announced in a video message by Pope Francis.
When Republican frontrunner Donald Trump offered a provocative retort to criticism by Pope Francis, it may have been a calculated political move to boost his standing ahead of South Carolina's presidential primary.
We often tend to forget the Pope is also a human with emotions besides being calm and happy. Last week the world saw another side him during a visit to Mexico when a follower pulled him. The pull forced him to fall onto a man in a wheelchair.
Donald Trump, Greek islanders helping desperate migrants, Angela Merkel and the pope -- some may seem more likely than others but all are understood to be in the running for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize.
Pope Francis warns the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics not to be "intoxicated" by possessions in his annual Christmas homily.
Pope Francis recognises a second miracle attributed to Mother Teresa, clearing the way for the Roman Catholic nun to be made a saint next year.
A photo of Pope Francis has gone viral on social media after he was captured in a classic rapper pose during a visit to the Central African Republic (CAR).
A woman in the US state of Georgia is executed despite a number of last-ditch appeals, including one by the Pope, to try and block her execution.
