Vatican reveals cause of Pope Francis’s death

The Holy See also unveiled the pontiff’s final testament.

Pope Francis died from a stroke followed by heart failure, the Vatican has confirmed, outlining the health complications that led to the pontiff’s passing at age 88 on Easter Monday.

The Holy See announced that Francis died at 7:35am on April 21 at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, Vatican City. The official cause of death was listed as “stroke, followed by a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse,” according to Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, Director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of the Vatican City State.

“I hereby declare… that the causes of death, to the best of my knowledge and judgment, are as stated above,” Dr. Arcangeli wrote in the official death certificate released on Monday evening.

The Vatican’s statement also noted that the Pope had been suffering from multiple chronic conditions, including bilateral pneumonia, bronchiectasis, arterial hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Francis had recently been hospitalized for 38 days due to double pneumonia, during which he faced a life-threatening health crisis that reportedly led doctors to consider palliative measures.

Despite his declining health, Pope Francis made a final public appearance on Easter Sunday, April 20, greeting crowds during the Holy Mass at St. Peter’s Square. Although his traditional Easter address was delivered by a member of the clergy, the Pope rose from his wheelchair and waved to the cheering crowd from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, saying: “Dear brothers and sisters, happy Easter.”

“As I sense that the twilight of my earthly life is approaching, and with firm hope in Eternal Life, I wish to express my final wishes regarding my burial place,” the pontiff wrote in his final testament, which was released by the Vatican. “May the Lord grant the deserved reward to those who have wished me well and will continue to pray for me. The suffering that marked the final part of my life, I offer to the Lord, for peace in the world and brotherhood among peoples.”

In accordance with his wishes, Francis will be buried in a modest tomb at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, diverging from the traditional papal burial at St. Peter’s Basilica. His spiritual testament specified a simple burial “in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, and bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.”

The Vatican has announced that the Pope’s body will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica beginning Wednesday, allowing the public to pay their respects. Cardinals are expected to convene on Tuesday to determine the date of the funeral, which traditionally takes place between four and six days after a pope’s death.

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was elected in March 2013 as the first Jesuit and the first Latin American pope. His 12-year papacy was marked by a focus on humility, social justice, and interfaith dialogue. He was widely known for his advocacy for the poor, environmental stewardship, and efforts to reform the Catholic Church.

Image credit: Fabian Fistarol