Every bishop's death: a club in Italy rises every time a pope dies

The world of soccer is often full of superstitions and coincidences, but few are as striking as the one surrounding Avellino, a modest Italian club that, for more than six decades, seems to be linked to the fate of the Vatican. The peculiarity is as unbelievable as it is constant: every time a Pope dies or resigns, the club is promoted.

This weekend, the legend was fueled again, as just before the death of Pope Francis, Avellino achieved mathematical promotion to Serie B by defeating Sorrento 2-1 on Saturday, April 19.

With that victory, the team consolidated as the leader of Group C with 72 points, eight ahead of Audace Cerignola, its closest pursuer, and will play in the second tier of Italian soccer next season.

A chain of coincidences dating back to the mid-20th century

The institution, founded in 1912 and based in Avellino, Campania, has carried this strange relationship since 1958. It all began with the death of Pope Pius XII, the same year it rose from the fourth division to Serie C. Five years later, in 1963, John XXIII died, and the Wolves returned toSerie C, repeating the pattern.

The year 1978 was particularly significant, as two pontiffs died (Paul VI and John Paul I, the latter known as "the 33-day Pope"), and, in parallel, the club achieved one of the greatest milestones in its history: promotion to Serie A.

During the long pontificate of John Paul II, the phenomenon seemed to pause until his death in 2005. That same year, Avellino defeated Napoli 2-1 in the play-off final and was promoted to Serie B.

The story surprised again in 2013, although this time it wasn't a death, but the resignation of Benedict XVI, the first Pope to resign in more than six centuries. Once again, the Campania club, which was playing in the third division, rose to Serie B.

Now, after the death of Francis, the strange coincidence repeats. For the superstitious, there is no doubt: Avellino is definitely the Pope's club.