Pope Francis died of a stroke and 'cardiocirculatory collapse'

By James Doubek

Published April 21, 2025 at 11:05 AM AKDT

A portrait of the late Pope Francis is displayed during a mass in his honor at the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Cathedral Monday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The Vatican says Pope Francis died of a "a stroke, followed by a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse."

The official certification came from professor Andrea Arcangeli, the director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of the Vatican City State, according to Vatican News, an official publication of the Vatican.

Francis had a "prior history of acute respiratory failure caused by multimicrobial bilateral pneumonia, multiple bronchiectases, high blood pressure, and type II diabetes," the medical report said.

The pope's death was confirmed using electrocardiographic thanatography, Vatican News reported.

Francis was hospitalized for over a month earlier this year for a lengthy illness, which included a severe respiratory infection and bilateral pneumonia.