Pope Francis’ football team membership number had an eerie coincidence with his age and the time of his death.
The pontiff – who passed away at his residence at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican on Monday (21 Apr) was a fan of San Lorenzo de Almagro.
He started going to the Primera División side – nicknamed Crows – in Argentina from the age of nine.
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He was able to recite the club’s championship-winning side of 1946 by heart as if it was the Lord’s Prayer.
In 2008, his love for the club was formalised after he became a season ticket holder.
When the club won their first ever Copa Libertadores in 2014, just months after he became the first Pope to come from the Americas, he was hailed as a lucky charm.
Following his death, it was revealed that his San Lorenzo membership card has a spooky parallel with his death.
The card number is 88235.
Pope Francis died aged 88 at 2.35pm Argentina time.
Club president Marcelo Moretti said: “It’s incredible that the age and time coincide with his San Lorenzo membership number.”
In the wake of his passing, the club has been sharing images of the Pope holding aloft team shirts and squad photos, as reported by Need To Know.
A San Lorenzo spokesperson said “He was never just one of us, and he was always one of us.
“A Crow as a child and as a man, a Crow as a priest and Cardinal, and a Crow as the Pope.
“From Jorge Mario Bergoglio to Francisco, there was one thing that never changed: his love for ‘El Ciclón’.
“Wrapped in profound sorrow, today we say to Francisco: Goodbye, thank you, and see you forever.
“We will be together for eternity.”
In honour of their special fan, the club also announced that they will name their planned 55,000-seater ground the Pope Francis Stadium.
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