Thursday marked a special day of emotional and spiritual significance for club president Aurelio De Laurentiis. He and Giovanni Simeone were received by Pope Francis at the Augustinianum to commemorate the tenth anniversary of Scholas Occurrentes, an international organisation founded and led by the Pontiff which is dedicated to supporting underprivileged communities around the world.
During the meeting, President De Laurentiis and Giovanni Simeone had the chance to spend a few moments with Pope Francis. They presented the Holy Father with a personalised number 10 jersey and a football signed by the team. In return, the Pontiff gifted them a blessed olive tree, which will be planted during a future footballing event.
The president also gave the Pope a small cast of Maradona’s foot as a symbol of kicking out global injustices. Before saying goodbye to the Holy Father, Aurelio De Laurentiis shared a wish, saying, “I hope that one day we can organise a match between Napoli and San Lorenzo, your favourite team.”
