Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
“My beloved brothers and sisters must express deep sadness and announce the death of our holy father, Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced Monday.
“This morning at 7:35am [05:35 GMT]Francis, the Bishop of Rome, returned to his father’s house. His life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and his church,” he said.
We know about the death of the first Argentine Pope in Latin American history, which led the Catholic Church for over 12 years.
How did the Pope die?
Pope Francis died Monday morning from a stroke, coma and heart failure, Vatican news agency said in a statement.
The Pope also suffers from “previous episodes of acute respiratory failure,” arterial hypertension, and type II diabetes, the statement said.
Farrell made the presentation at 9:47am (07:47 GMT), about two hours after Francis passed away. Farrell spoke from Domus Santa Marta, an apartment on the Vatican site where Francis lived, and who returned to recover after hospitalising for double pneumonia in February.
In the coming weeks, Farrell will play an important role and oversee the holy views until a new Pope is chosen.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Edgar Peña Para seal the doors of the Pope’s apartments in the Apostles Palace and the doors of the apartments in Casa Santa Malta, where the late Pope Francis lived.
Death Certification…pic.twitter.com/pp6j4sbqpr ritual
– Vatican News (@vaticannews) April 21, 2025
What was Pope Francis’ health problem?
The Pope was hospitalized for five weeks from February to March, and initially suffered from severe respiratory failure due to viral and bacterial infections. He often suffered from bronchitis during the winter.
He was later diagnosed with a multimicrobial infection that evolved into pneumonia in both lungs. According to his medical team, Francis died while in hospital.
He was also treated for respiratory episodes of asthma, early renal failure, and bronchial convulsions that led to aspiration vomit after a fit of severe cough.
He received non-invasive mechanical ventilation at night and high-flow oxygen therapy during the day.
His doctors said that the Pope was so seriously ill that staff considered stopping his treatment so he could die.
“I had to choose whether to stop or not. [treatment] And let him go or move forward and try [to save him] All drugs and treatments are possible, and there is a very high risk of damage to other organs. In a recent interview, Sergio Alfieri, a general surgeon at Gemeri Hospital in Rome, said:
According to Alfieri, it was Massimiliano Strapetti, a private nurse at the Pope, who urged the medical team to continue treatment and said, “Try it all – don’t give up.”
His condition stabilized and the Pope continued his recovery at his residence. He made several public appearances last week, but his weak voice served as a reminder of his frailty.
How did Pope Francis spend his last day?
The doctors at Jemeri Hospital prescribed him a full rest regimen.
Thirty-eight days later in the hospital, the Pope was discharged on March 23rd. He returned to his residence in Casa Santa Marta.
With Easter just three weeks apart, the Pope’s schedule has become increasingly demanding.
On April 9th he met King Charles and Queen Camilla of England. The meeting coincided with the 20th wedding anniversary during the state’s visit to Italy.
Audiences were arranged last minute after postponement of a formal state visit planned for the Pope’s health issues.
On holy Thursday, April 17th, a major day in the Catholic calendar commemorating the last evening of Jesus Christ, Francis visited Regina Coli in Rome, where he met around 70 prisoners.
Over the past few years he washed the prisoners’ feet and repeated Jesus gestures with his disciples on the eve of his death. However, this time, the Vatican said it had apologized for not being able to perform the ritual. Instead, he offered them the rosary and pocket-sized Gospels as gifts.
Four days later, on April 20th, Francis received US Vice President J.D. Vance at his home.
“I know you didn’t feel good, but it’s good to see you in a better health,” Vance said. “Thank you for meeting me.”
The conference came as Pope and Vatican officials criticized President Donald Trump’s policies, particularly efforts to deport immigrants.
Francis denounced immigration crackdown as “disgrace.” Meanwhile, Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, has defended policy by referring to interpretations of medieval Catholic teachings.
It was the Pope’s last diplomatic meeting.
Later that day, he delivered the traditional urbi et orbi blessings in Latin for “to the city and the world.”
During this time, the Pope condemned the “deplorable humanitarian situation” caused by an 18-month war on Palestinian territory. He also called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Then, to everyone’s surprise, he headed to St. Peter’s Square and ran through the crowds of open-top popemovies.
Near the end of his final square tour, several children were lifted up towards him.
That would be the last time I’ve seen the world live. He passed away the next morning.
