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People around the world are mourning the death of Pope Francis and Arkansas coach John Calipari has joined in paying his tributes.
Easter has been different for Catholics around the world after the death of Pope Francis, who was pronounced dead by the Vatican on Monday at the age of 88.
A day earlier, the Pope was seen at St Peter's Square, greeting worshippers during the Easter Sunday celebrations.
John Calipari is Catholic and joined in honoring the Pope with a heartwarming tribute on Monday.
“I woke up to the news that Pope Francis had passed away at age 88 after fighting pneumonia for sometime,” John Calipari wrote on X. “He was a Pope for social justice for the poor and many firsts. Lived a humble life right to the end and never forgot his roots. He will be missed by all of us Catholics around the world.”Calipari has publicly stated that his Catholic faith influences his coaching philosophy and teaching. However, he does not outwardly force his faith on others.
Calipari’s faith led him to Arkansas as he once told the story of how a catholic priest helped him decide on joining the Razorbacks.
"Father, I've got to decide what I'm going to do here. One is Arkansas, the other's Kentucky," Calipari said, narrating his encounter with the priest.He went on to reveal that the priest instructed him to take an hour-long walk, thinking of himself as an Arkansas coach on the first part of the walk, and then as a Kentucky coach.
John Calipari announces the return of three Arkansas players for next season
John Calipari announced that three Razorbacks will be returning for next season via his X account last Thursday.
In the video, he revealed that the trio of Trevon Brazile, D.J. Wagner and Billy Richmond III have all decided to return for the 2025-26 season, while a couple of freshmen are also set to join the team.
"I just met with the team, and there is a team this year," Calipari said. "So let me go over some of the roster. What we're doing, who's going to be here. We're not quite finished, but I'm feeling really good about this group."Calipari led Arkansas to the Sweet 16 in his first season with a 22-14 overall record, a performance he will be looking to surpass next season.
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Edited by Akshay Saraswat
English (US)