Pope Francis Died From A Stroke That Led To Heart Failure, Vatican Says
Pope Francis appears on the central lodge of St. Peter's Basilica to bestow the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and the world) blessing at the end of the Easter mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Sunday, April 20, 2025. The cause of Pope Francis’ death was a stroke that led to a coma and “irreversible heart failure,” the Vatican said.The Holy See press office released a declaration of death report on Monday from a Vatican City medical official that outlined Francis’ medical history.The notice said the pontiff had previously suffered acute respiratory failure caused by multimicrobial bilateral pneumonia, multiple bronchiectases, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.The leader of the Roman Catholic Church died on Monday at age 88 following a surprise Easter Sunday public appearance.No date for his funeral has been announced as the search for the next pope begins.The Vatican also said the pope had decided to be buried in St. Mary Major Basilica, which is located outside the gates of the Vatican City, in a simple underground tomb.Known for his humility and concern for the poor, Francis, an Argentine who became the Catholic Church’s first Latin American leader, took the world by storm by pushing the church to become less “obsessed” with culture war issues such as gay marriage and abortion.He encouraged the church to pay more attention to the refugee crisis, climate change, human trafficking and the global arms trade.Former President Joe Biden, a Catholic, declared Francis “one of the most consequential leaders of our time.”In his final message on Easter Sunday, Francis made a plea for peace in general, and a ceasefire in Gaza specifically.“I would like us to renew our hope that peace is possible,” he said in the message, which was read aloud by an aide on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as the pontiff looked on.Related...Barack Obama Pays Touching Tribute To 'Rare Leader' Pope FrancisJD Vance Breaks Silence On Meeting With Pope Francis Hours Before His Death'A Pope For The Poor': Keir Starmer Leads Tributes As Francis Dies At 88
