The Vatican has officially confirmed that Pope Francis died from a cerebral stroke on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7:35 a.m. CEST. The stroke led to a coma and subsequent irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse. This information was detailed in a medical report released by Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, Director of the Vatican’s Directorate of Health and Hygiene.
Prior to his death, Pope Francis had been hospitalized for 38 days due to double pneumonia caused by a multimicrobial infection. He also suffered from several pre-existing health conditions, including acute respiratory failure, multiple bronchiectasis, arterial hypertension, and type II diabetes . Despite his fragile health, he made a surprise appearance on Easter Sunday, delivering his address through Cardinal Angelo Comastri at Saint Peter’s Square.
Pope Francis passed away at his residence in the Domus Sanctae Marthae within Vatican City. In accordance with his wishes, he will be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, making him the first pope to be interred outside the Vatican since Pope Leo XIII in 1903.
His death initiates a period of mourning and the convening of a papal conclave, expected to begin between May 6 and May 11, 2025, to elect his successor.
