Pope Francis died some 90 minutes after he was awoken by his alarm clock this morning, Italian media reports.
The Pontiff, who died today aged 88 at the Saint Martha residence in the Vatican, ‘passed away peacefully’, according to his doctors.
He reportedly woke up when his alarm went off at 6am, fell ill at 7am and died from a stroke around 7.30am, according to Corriere della Serra.
Still, the exact details surrounding his death are uncertain. It is understood he did not succumb to the recent bout of double pneumonia he had been hospitalised with earlier this year.
La Repubblica and La Stampa claimed that Francis died due to a ‘cerebral hemorrhage’, possibly a stroke, which was said to be unrelated to the respiratory problems and pneumonia he suffered in February.
The Holy See’s press service announced only the Pontiff’s death shortly after he passed away, writing in tribute that he had dedicated his ‘entire life’ to serving God and the church.
His body will now lie in state in St Peter’s Basilica for three days, and then he will be buried in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. His body could lie in state as soon as Wednesday, according to Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office.
The death of the Argentine pontiff, leader of the Catholic Church since March 2013, came less than a month after having been released from hospital following a 38-day battle with double pneumonia.
In a final act of devotion, Pope Francis had greeted thousands of faithful in St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday in what turned out to be his last public appearance before his death.
Surprisingly, the Pope was not wearing a nasal cannula hooked up to oxygen when he was driven through the crowd of 35,000 faithful yesterday, having worn it for many of his appearances since he was discharged.
For about 50 minutes, the pontiff’s vehicle slowly moved through the masses in 21C heat, but Italian media now speculate that doctors would have advised against him bathing in the crowd as he was likely immunocompromised.
Earlier, he had appeared on the Vatican balcony and told crowds, ‘Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter’, before an aide read the rest of his annual Urbi et Orbi blessing and speech, which called for an end to wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Francis (pictured on Easter Sunday) died due to a ‘cerebral hemorrhage’, possibly a stroke, which is said to be unrelated to the respiratory problems and pneumonia he suffered in February, outlets La Repubblica and La Stampa claim
For about 50 minutes, the pontiff’s vehicle slowly moved through the masses, but Italian media now speculate that doctors would have advised against him bathing in the crowd as he was likely immunocompromised following his pneumonia battle
A worshipper cries during Mass at the Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, following the Vatican’s announcement of Pope Francis’ death on Easter Monday
The Pope was sitting in a wheelchair as he waved to the crowd from the main balcony of St Peter’s basilica while an aid delivered his Urbi et Orbi message
What comes next after the death of Pope Francis?
