Flags to life -size statue - that's how Pope Francis's beloved football team paid tribute to their holiest fan | Today news

Flags, a life-size statue, and other tributes to Pope Francis filled Pedro Bidegain Stadium in Buenos Aires on Saturday, as his beloved San Lorenzo de Almagno football team played their first game since the death of the Pontiff. As a tribute to Pope Francis, the players of the San Lorenzo de Almagno soccer team players wore jerseys with the images of the late pope with words “Together for eternity”. Pope Francis passed away on Monday, April 21 at the age of 88, who asked the Argentina’s football association to postpone all matches that day in honor of the Pontiff. Oscar Lucchini, who is in charge of the chapel of San Lorenzo de Almagro, Pope Francis’s hometown football team, holds a shirt from the team with an image of the pope after the death of his death before the start of the match, and the fans streamed the Vatican colored yellow and white flags. The club, based in the Budo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, plans to name his new stadium to Pope Francis. While never returning to Argentina as Pope, a life -sized statue of Francis carried a scarf with the colors of the team, blue and red, around his neck and overlooked the match against Rosario Central from the sideline. A statue of Pope Francis will be depicted on the day of an Argentine first division match between San Lorenzo de Almagro, his San Lorenzo de Almagno, his hometown of Soccer Team and Rosario Central, after the death of the Pontiff during the half -time, Scholas Eccurrents, an international organization created in 2013 to transform global education, including the enchantment to the pope. Jorge Bergoglio inherited his passion for his father’s popular Argentine club and never lost it. “And May San Lorenzo wins,” Bergoglio said shortly after his 2013 election, as part of a series of wishes for his homeland. A banner with an image of Pope Francis before the start of an Argentine first division match against Rosario Central, after the death of the Pontiff remained the match until the 91st minute when Enzo Copetti scored the lonely goal for Rosario Central, which handed the Pope’s hometown of 1-0. During his years in the Vatican, Francis was named an honorary member of San Lorenzo and received several visits from club delegations, including one after the club won the Copa Libertadores in 2014 and submitted the trophy to the Catholic leader. Pope Francis’s death, just a day after he was Easter Sunday with hundreds of people on the St. Peter’s Square celebrated in the Vatican, Pope Francis passed away at about 1:35 p.m. Church bells reproduced through Rome when the city delayed the passing of Pope Francis who suffered in his 12 -year -old Papacy. In a video statement on the Vatican TV channel, Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced: “Dear brothers and sisters, it is with deep sadness that I have to announce the death of our holy father Francis.” “At 07:35 this morning, the bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the father’s house. His whole life is dedicated to the service of the Lord and his church,” the Vatican announced. It was later indicated that Pope Francis died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure. The certificate, signed by Vatican doctor Andrea Arcangeli, confirmed that 88-year-old Pontiff fell into a coma before he died in the early hours of Monday morning. His funeral was held on Saturday, April 26 with world leaders attending. (With Reuters inputs) first published: 27 Apr 2025, 04:53 am Ist