Due to complications from a bilateral pneumonia diagnosed months ago—which kept him hospitalized in serious condition for several weeks—Easter Monday of 2025 began with the tragic news of Pope Francis’ passing early in the morning at the age of 88.

A ‘dark’ Easter Sunday in Serie A

Yesterday, after spending 28 days in Gemelli Hospital in Rome, Pope Francis appeared on the Vatican balcony to deliver the Urbi et Orbi Blessing on an Easter Sunday that could be described as ‘dark’ in Serie A, since the current football schedule forced the playing of three matches from matchday 33… even though tradition holds that there should be no football on such a sacred day for Christians, so they can fulfill their religious duties.

Today, four more Serie A matches had also been scheduled (Torino vs Udinese; Cagliari vs Fiorentina; Genoa vs Lazio; and Parma vs Juventus), which, unsurprisingly, have all been automatically suspended on this Easter Monday of mourning in Italy due to the death of Pope Francis early this morning.

Pope Francis’ death affects Fiorentina

This is the statement issued by Serie A: "Following the death of the Holy Father, the Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A announces that today’s matches from the Serie A Enilive and Primavera 1 Championships are postponed to a later date." The situation clearly poses a serious problem in an already packed schedule that, among other things, led to Serie A games being played on Easter Sunday.

Now, Serie A must work against the clock while mourning—along with the entire football world—the passing of Pope Francis, who was a devoted supporter of San Lorenzo. The issue particularly affects Fiorentina, which is still competing in European tournaments after reaching the semifinals of the Conference League, and now must find a new date to play their match against Cagliari, originally set for today.