By Anna Italia
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Italian Soccer Serie A
Former Primer Ministe, ex-AC Milan Owner, and Monza owner Silvio Berlusconi had a State Funeral on Wednesday 14 June 2023 at the Milan Cathedral. Berlusconi died on Monday 12 at the age of 86 after a long illness. As reported by the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, over two thousand personalities from the world of sport, politics and more remembered him during the well-attended ceremony. The funeral ended after about an hour. After the homily at the end of the ceremony, the notes of silence sound in the Milan Cathedral for the state funeral of Silvio Berlusconi. Then everyone stood up to give a last, long applause, inside the Church and outside, in the square.
The statement “Silvio Berlusconi was a man and now he meets God” at the end of the homily delivered by the archbishop of Milan Mario Delpini in the Cathedral where the Knight’s funeral is taking place was greeted by those present with applause.
LIVE: Funeral of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (Reuters)
Berlusconi’s passion for AC Milan had no limits leading the Club to win five European Cups, as well as eight Italian Serie A titles. The Berlusconi– Adriano Galliani with Milan had been one of the most successful leaderships in football history winning 29 trophies with Milan between 1986 and 2016.
The holding company Fininvest which was headed by former Milan president Silvio Berlusconi, announced its acquisition of Monza 28 September 2018. Berlusconi was the owner of Monza Club seeing the Club promoted to the Serie A for the first time ever and remaining in the big league for the next season 2023-24.
The President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella and the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni embraced and expressed their condolences to the family of Silvio Berlusconi.
Reportedly, about 20,000 people arrived in Piazza Duomo to attend the funeral. In the square it was possible to follow the ceremony from giant screens. The usual chorus “There is only one president” accompanied the departure from the square. Flags from many parts of the world in Piazza Duomo for the funeral of Silvio Berlusconi, from Ecuador to Sri Lanka and the United States.
Francesca Pascale, Silvio Berlusconi’s former partner, speaking with LaPresse following the state funeral answering the question of who will be able to take over. “There is no other person in the world like Berlusconi”. It’s such a sad day. Deeply sad, for me there are no words, something that I absolutely did not expect, there is not a word that is right in this moment. Personally, Berlusconi leaves a huge void, impossible to fill, such a wonderful and extraordinary person leaves only an incredible void, so many wonderful memories,” said Pascale.”
President of Fifa, Gianni Infantino, joined Adriano Galliani at his home to convey his condolences to the Berlusconi family.
The last farewell of the Monza fans to Berlusconi. “On your last journey, our greetings”. This is the banner delivered by the ultras of the ‘Davide Pieri’ curve of Monza in front of Villa San Martino in Arcore at the moment of the return of the funeral procession. “He did something extraordinary and we will be forever grateful”, said the fans, who showed up in about thirty, placing the banner and a bouquet of flowers on the lawn now almost completely covered by the other memories left over the past few days by supporters by Berlusconi.
The Corriere dello Sport commented that after leaving the Cathedral, Marta Fascina, in tears, caressed Silvio Berlusconi’s coffin. Then she leaned down to kiss her. Shortly thereafter, all of Berlusconi’s children followed. The five then thanked together, in front of the hearse, those who came to the funeral in Piazza del Duomo.
The hearse with Silvio Berlusconi’s coffin returned to Villa San Martino after the funeral in the Milan Cathedral. Those present greeted him with applause. Between tomorrow and the day after tomorrow Berlusconi will be cremated at the ‘Panta Rei’ Crematorium Temple in Valenza, in the province of Alessandria. It is one of the largest centers in Italy. Berlusconi’s ashes could thus be placed in the mausoleum that he had built inside Villa San Martino, in Arcore.
Our last goodbye to you, Mr President
L’ultimo saluto al Presidente Silvio Berlusconi pic.twitter.com/nT3jsdqPIh
— AC Milan (@acmilan) June 14, 2023