Funeral of Totò Schillaci, football in mourning today in Palermo

Don Sarullo’s homily: “Totò Schillaci, beautiful face of Palermo that doesn’t give up”

“Totò is the beautiful face of Palermo that doesn’t give up,” said the cathedral’s parish priest, Filippo Sarullo, in the homily for Schillaci’s funeral. “Toto” transmitted light – he added – also through his lively and eloquent eyes, loving you as a son, husband, father, brother, family member, relative, friend. But many are here today to remember him as the footballer of the magical nights, because he made Italy dream. In recent days so many messages, so many thoughts, so many words, so much affection shown by the world of football and sport, by the institutions and by the people; sorrow, pain, tears, memories, which attest to the human and professional qualities of a talent, of a champion, of a great man in human and football history who was born and died here in Palermo, among ordinary people, and lives and stands out in the scene international, indeed worldwide, as a prodigious champion, a legend of football”. Don Sarullo added again: “You found yourself in front of a goal but not like that of a Serie A football field, but you found yourself in front of a goal without a crossbar, a goal without posts, a goal without a net, you found yourself before the Door of mercy, the door of love, the door of the goodness of the Father who, as a true just and unappealable referee, has summoned you for the match of the heart, for the match that will never end, which has let you enter in the most beautiful team in the world, called Paradiso”.