A friendly match between memory and solidarity

On 26 November 2016, the Chapecoense team preparing to play against the Colombian Atletico Nacional in the final match of the South American Cup, was involved in the terrible plane crash near the Colombian city of Medellin. The plane was carrying seventy-seven people, of whom only six survived.

Tomorrow, Friday 1 September in Rome, almost a year after the tragedy, there will be a friendly match between Chapecoense and A.S. Rome. In view of the match that will be played at the Olympic Stadium, the footballers were received yesterday by the Holy Father in St. Peter’s Square at the end of the General Audience. Pope Francis embraced some of the survivors of this accident, including Jackson Follmann, the goalkeeper of the Brazilian team who lost his leg in the crash and now works as Chapecoense’s “ambassador.” Follmann asked the Pope to bless his rosary. “It was exhilarating! Unfortunately, we were able to meet him because of a tragedy that caused us a lot of suffering.”

Today, the official presentation of the competition was held in Campidoglio. The meeting was attended by Santiago Perez de Camino, Head of the Church and Sports Office of this Dicastery, and Msgr. Sanchez de Toca of the Pontifical Council for Culture, who represented the Holy See. The president of the Brazilian team recalled the meeting with the Pope yesterday and stressed the importance of his closeness to the sports world, an important place of inclusion, commitment, and the transmission of values.

The proceeds of this friendly match, which will be held at the Olympic Stadium in the evening, will go to the families of the plane crash victims.