(Reuters) -Italy’s top-flight soccer league Serie A has postponed all of Monday's fixtures following the death of Pope Francis.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church and a lifelong soccer fan has died, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday. He was 88, and had survived a serious bout of double pneumonia.

"Following the passing of His Holiness, Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie A can confirm that today's league games in Serie A and Primavera 1 have been postponed," the league said in a statement.