DOCTOR REVEALS HOW POPE DIED, DESCRIBES FINAL MOMENTS
Pope Francis died quickly and without undue suffering after falling into a coma from a devastating stroke, his personal physician, Dr. Sergio Alfieri, revealed in interviews with Italian media. According to the Vatican, the 88-year-old pontiff succumbed to a sudden stroke that caused irreversible heart failure. Dr. Alfieri described arriving at the Vatican at 5:50 a.m. to find Francis unresponsive but with eyes open. “He didn’t respond to stimuli, not even painful ones,” Alfieri said. The doctor emphasized that even if the Pope had been rushed to a hospital, “he would have died on the way.”
Francis, who had only recently been discharged from a lengthy hospital stay due to double pneumonia, had resumed limited duties. Alfieri insisted that Francis had followed medical advice to avoid overexertion. The doctor also shared a final poignant moment: on Saturday, he brought the Pope a pie he enjoyed. Francis, reportedly in good spirits, told him: “I have started working again, and I like it.” His final regret, according to Alfieri, was not being able to perform the traditional Maundy Thursday ritual of washing prisoners’ feet.
The Pope is currently lying in state in St. Peter’s Basilica, with an overwhelming turnout forcing the Vatican to keep the basilica open overnight. His funeral will take place Saturday, and he will be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore, becoming the first pope in over a century not to be laid to rest in the Vatican. Prince William will represent the British royal family at the funeral. The conclave to elect a new pope will begin after nine days of mourning.
