Padre Fedele Bisceglia, the Capuchin friar known in the city not only for his faith but also for his extraordinary closeness to Cosenza’s most passionate football fans, passed away on the night of August 13, 2025, at the age of 87.
He had been hospitalised for some time at the INRCa clinic in Cosenza, and though his health had worsened in recent days, until the very end he remained a living symbol of solidarity and grassroots support.
A calling to serve the most fragile
Born on 6 November 1937 in Laurignano and orphaned by his mother at a young age, Fedele entered the seminary early in life.
Ordained a priest in 1964, he studied theology in Naples and at the Lateran University in Rome.
He soon felt a calling to serve those in need: he built a sports field, a nursery school, and a church in Montagnola, even going on hunger strike to secure electricity and running water for the community.
Missionary and social commitment
In 1980, he was appointed secretary for foreign missions and worked across India, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo, and Madagascar, founding schools, hospitals, centres for the disabled, and facilities for people with leprosy.
On returning to Cosenza, he created the Franciscan Oasis, which offered a canteen, dormitory, and medical clinic for the city’s poor — becoming a lifeline for those forgotten by society.
After a painful judicial ordeal — from which he was definitively acquitted in 2015 and 2016 — he later founded the Paradise of the Poor, continuing his mission of service with dignity and hope.
An unbreakable bond with Cosenza’s ultras
Padre Fedele was a devoted Cosenza Calcio supporter, often found in the Curva Sud at the San Vito (now the “Gigi Marulla” Stadium). Affectionately nicknamed “the Friar Ultra” or “the Monk of the Ultras”, he embodied the spirit of the club’s passionate following.
In 1985, he organised the first-ever national gathering of Italian ultras in Cosenza, bringing together fans from Roma, Napoli, Genoa and elsewhere, with the aim of fostering dialogue and unity among different supporter groups.
The local ultras, known for their strong social conscience, considered him a moral guide and a father figure.
Over the years, he also served as honorary president of Cosenza in the 2004–2005 season and initiated unusual projects: in 2004, he hosted the “Franciscan Disco” with non-alcoholic drinks and even had the team play with the image of Saint Francis on their shirts.
In 2013, together with the rossoblù ultras, he organised a “meal for the poor” at the Rialzo social centre, preparing food for the homeless, immigrants, and the lonely — showing that football fandom could be a vehicle for real acts of charity.
The final farewell: Chants, scarves, and tears
The funeral took place on 14 August 2025 in the Church of the Most Holy Crucifix, packed with parishioners, citizens, and ultras.
As the coffin left the church, it was accompanied by smoke flares, chants, scarves, and a banner reading: “We are all Padre Fedele’s children.”
The mayor, Franz Caruso, presented the Seal of the City, laying it on a coffin draped in football scarves.
His body was taken to the Marulla Stadium, where it made a silent lap of the pitch, stopping at the Curva Sud.
Under the stands, a banner read: “Maracanà – a life as an ultra, thank you Monk.” Padre Fedele will be laid to rest in his native town of Dipignano.
In Summary
Padre Fedele Bisceglia was more than a religious figure — he was a bridge between seemingly distant worlds: faith, football fandom, solidarity, and social activism.
For Cosenza, its ultras, and the city’s poor, he was a father, a companion, and an example of integrity and unconditional love.
His memory will live on in the hearts of those who learned from him what it truly means to serve the least among us.
