Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the world’s Catholic community, passed away on Monday, April 21, at the age of 88. He died at his residence in Casa Santa Marta within the Vatican.
According to an official Vatican statement, the Pope suffered a cerebral stroke followed by irreversible heart failure. His death certificate, signed by Vatican physician Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, confirms that he had slipped into a coma shortly before his death. He was pronounced dead at 7:35 AM local time.
Pope Francis had been facing multiple health complications in recent years. Earlier this year, he was hospitalized for 38 days at Rome’s Gemelli University Hospital due to double pneumonia. His death certificate also revealed that he had been suffering from high blood pressure, widespread bronchiectasis, and Type-2 diabetes—conditions that had not been publicly disclosed before.
Just a day before his passing, Pope Francis appeared briefly in St. Peter’s Square during the Easter celebrations. Although visibly frail, he delivered a message to thousands of worshippers through an assistant.
Francis, the first Latin American Pope and the first Jesuit to hold the position, led the Catholic Church for 12 years and was widely praised for his efforts to reform the Church and advocate for marginalized communities.
In his spiritual will, which was written on June 29, 2022, Pope Francis requested to be buried at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome rather than the traditional burial site of St. Peter’s Basilica. He asked for a simple grave “beneath the earth, without ornamentation,” marked only by a Latin inscription reading Franciscus.
The Vatican is now preparing for the papal conclave to elect a new pope.