PALERMO (ITALPRESS) – Children and adults, fans and ordinary citizens (and even some tourists), friends and lifelong companions, yesterday’s soccer players and today’s soccer players: at Palermo Cathedral there is no free space, inside and out, because everyone wanted to pay tribute to Totò Schillaci, paying their last respects to a sporting symbol of the city, not only in Italy, but throughout the world.On the coffin placed in front of the altar stood flowers, scarves, pennants and that unforgettable blue number 19 jersey that saw Totò star in Italia ’90. The arrival of the coffin is greeted with emotion, accompanied by a rosanero flag that stands out in the cathedral garden: the name Totò Schillaci is chanted in a loud voice as the coffin passes, anticipating a searing atmosphere that will accompany tomorrow’s Barbera on the occasion of Palermo-Cesena, the first match in which the city will be somewhat emptier without its most representative football symbol. The celebration, which closed with the blessing of the funeral by Archbishop of Palermo Corrado Lorefice, was attended by Figc president Gabriele Gravina, Palermo mayor Roberto Lagalla and Palermo president Dario Mirri, among others, while Rosanero players included Francesco Di Mariano (Schillaci’s nephew), Matteo Brunori and Jacopo Segre along with sporting director Morgan De Sanctis and his deputy Giulio Migliaccio.”Today is a feast day for our brother Totò, because it is the day of the new birth in the mystery of God,” Monsignor Filippo Sarullo emphasized in his homily, -And in this feeling that we are still loved by him, you his dear family members remember Totò for all the times he was light for you. Remember the light he passed on to you, even through his living and eloquent eyes, loving you as son, husband, father, brother, family member, relative, friend. But so many are here today to remember him as the footballer of magical nights, because he made Italy dream. In these days so many messages, so many thoughts, so many words, so much affection shown by the world of soccer and sports, institutions and the people.” “It has been a unanimous chorus of sorrow, grief, tears, memories, attesting to the human and professional qualities of a talent, an outstanding player, a great of human and football history who was born and died here in Palermo, among ordinary people, and lived and distinguished himself in the international, indeed world, scene as a prodigious champion, a soccer legend.” “Thank you,” Sarullo continued, “because from up there you will continue to look at your Palermo and you will continue to inspire so many young people of today and tomorrow to follow your example to adhere to the path of good, to follow the dreams that can become reality, to live again magical nights of love and good, looking to that door to which to direct the ball and the essence of life, treasuring what Totò has passed on to us, to continue to live, as he did, the values of sports and human maturity, sticking to the boundaries of the field of life, beyond which in life one cannot go. The rules of soccer, as of any other sport, teach us to know how to win and how to lose. Learning this and implementing it in life is the best life lesson Totò wants to deliver to all of us today because in his soccer school he continued to educate through sports. He certainly taught that the real strength of a sportsman, of an authentic and mature person is not to feel invincible but the ability to get back up.” – photo xd8/Italpress -(ITALPRESS).
