
Thousands of people around the world are mourning the death ofPope Francis, who passed away on Monday morning at the age of 88.
His official cause of death was determined to be a stroke, coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.
Death of Benedict XVI ends period of two popes
And as the hours go by, more details are emerging about the pontiff’s last moments alive.
The Vatican revealed what some of his last words were, among them the thanks to his lifelong health assistant, Massimiliano Strappetti, a nurse who, according to the Pope, “once saved his life by suggesting colon surgery,” according to the Vatican press office.
“Do you think I can do it?” the Argentine Pope asked Strappetti beforehand.
Later, he told his assistant, “Thank you for bringing me back to the square,” as he encouraged him to make his last trip in the popemobile on Sunday, after the Urbi et Orbi blessing, touring St. Peter’s Square among the faithful. After which, the Vatican said that he was “tired, but happy”.
How were the Pope’s last hours?
According to the Vatican, after meeting with Vice President JD Vance on Sunday, the Pontiff “rested on Sunday afternoon and had a quiet dinner”.
He indicated that on Monday morning his health declined markedly and that the first signs of the sudden illness appeared around 5:30 am local time.
“Approximately an hour later, after waving goodbye to Mr. Strappetti, while he was in bed in his apartment on the second floor of the Casa Santa Marta, the Pope fell into a coma,” the Vatican said.
“According to those who accompanied him in his last moments, he did not suffer. Everything happened quickly,” the statement said.
The Vatican describes the Pope’s death as “discreet… almost sudden, without much suffering or public alarm”.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the pontiff’s real name, had been suffering from health problems for several months, which even led to him being hospitalized for 38 days earlier this year with respiratory complications. In addition, he suffered from high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
And despite his deteriorating health, Francis did not stop working until practically his last hours, as just a day before his death he fulfilled his activities before the Catholic faithful.
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