Francis's death followed a five-week stay in hospital a month earlier, where he suffered from arespiratory tract infection anddouble pneumonia.[6][7] The cause of his death was officially registered as a stroke followed by irreversible cardiac arrest.[8] Francis'sRequiem Mass was celebrated on 26 April, five days after his death, and he was buried atSanta Maria Maggiore. Theconsequent conclave, which began on 7 May, elected Robert Francis Prevost as Francis's successor, who took the papal nameLeo XIV, andwas inaugurated on 18 May.
Francis in a wheelchair during histrip to Indonesia, September 2024Francis's coat of arms
Elected in March 2013 at the age of 76, Francis was then reported to be healthy despite having suffered from chronic lung damage, due in part to the lung excision he had as a young man. His doctors had said the lung tissue removed then would not significantly affect his health. The only concern would be decreasedrespiratory reserve if he had a respiratory infection. In the last few years of his life, he was prone to bouts ofinfluenza andbronchitis in the winter. Knee problems andsciatica had prompted him to frequently use a wheelchair, walker, or cane.[9]
In 2021, Francis's health problems prompted rumours that he mightresign,[10] which Francis dismissed.[11] However, Francis confirmed in 2022 that he had prepared a resignation letter in the first year of his pontificate, in the event he needed to abdicate his position due to illness "impeding his work" as pope. The sealed letter was given toTarcisio Bertone, the Cardinal Secretary of State at the time.[12] In June 2022, after undergoing treatment to his knee, Francis cancelled planned trips to theDemocratic Republic of the Congo andSouth Sudan.[13] In an interview withReuters that month, Francis said that he had not considered resigning but would do so if his health made it impossible for him to run the Church.[14] During his eventual trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in February 2023, Francis said that resignation was "not in his agenda at the moment".[15]
In March 2023, Francis was hospitalized in Rome with arespiratory infection.[16] He returned to celebrate theEaster Vigil Mass onHoly Saturday, in April.[17] In June, Francis underwentabdominal surgery after suffering from ahernia.[18] Francis had publicly used a wheelchair since 2022, initially due to persistent knee pain which required an operation.[19][20] He acknowledged that his recurring mobility problems had precipitated the beginning of what Reuters termed "a new, slower phase of his papacy",[21] although he was praised by disabled Catholics for making his "disability part of his visible identity".[22]
On 14 February 2025, Francis enteredGemelli Hospital in Rome due tobronchitis.[23] His hospital stay was extended due to a polymicrobial infection of his respiratory tract and bilateral pneumonia.[24][25][26]Vatican News described his condition ascritical and reported that he was givenblood transfusions andhigh-flow oxygen.[27][28] On 23 February, it was announced that Francis had early-stagekidney failure, though his condition remained "under control".[29][30] On 26 February, he showed slight improvement,[31] but suffered abronchial spasm two days later, causing him to inhale vomit and require non-invasivemechanical ventilation, with the Vatican stating that hisprognosis remained guarded.[32][33] On 3 March, it was reported that he had been removed frommechanical ventilation and was recovering.[34][35] The Vatican disclosed that Francis had suffered two episodes of "acute respiratory insufficiency".[36] After this episode, the third major downturn in the Pope's condition,[37] mechanical ventilation was resumed that afternoon.[38]
On 19 March, it was reported that Francis was no longer using mechanical ventilation at night, with his doctors stating that his lung infection was under control, although not eliminated.[39] He was discharged from hospital on 23 March,[40] immediately after blessing a crowd from his balcony; he was expected to spend at least two months recuperating at his home atDomus Sanctae Marthae inVatican City,[41] maintaining a reduced work schedule.[42][43] He appeared in public for the first time since the hospitalization on 6 April.[44]
OnEaster Sunday, 20 April, Francis met with United StatesVice PresidentJD Vance[45][46] to exchange Easter greetings.[47] Francis delegated the traditional Easter Mass to CardinalAngelo Comastri, but made a public appearance to personally bestow theUrbi et Orbi blessing, and to meet people in hispopemobile inSaint Peter's Square.[48] The last political official to meet with Pope Francis was Croatian Prime MinisterAndrej Plenković.[49] His final spoken words were a message of thanks to his nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, for allowing him to appear in the Square of St Peter. Francis then rested that afternoon and had dinner.[50][51]
Display case showing azucchetto worn by the Pope at the Altar of the Kings in theMexico City Metropolitan Cathedral. The zucchetto was a gift after his visit to the temple in 2016.
Francis's health began a sudden deterioration at 05:30CEST on the morning of 21 April (Easter Monday), during which he made a gesture toward his nurse Massimiliano Strappetti.[50] His physician, Dr. Sergio Alfieri, was immediately summoned. He found the pope, eyes opened and breathing normally but unresponsive to stimuli. A severe stroke was quickly diagnosed. After brief discussion, it was decided against transporting Francis to the hospital, as it was believed that the pope's condition was fatal and nothing further could be done. There was no sign of physical suffering.[52]
He died at 07:35, at his residence in Vatican City, aged 88.[5][53] His death was announced by CamerlengoKevin Farrell, in a statement broadcast onVatican Media from the chapel of the papal residence at Domus Sanctae Marthae.[54] A death certificate released by the Vatican later that day confirmed that Francis had died of astroke, which led to acoma and irreversiblecardiac arrest. His death certificate also noted that he was suffering fromtype 2 diabetes andhypertension.[55][56][57] On 22 April, the Vatican released the first images of Pope Francislying in state at the Domus Sanctae Marthae chapel, wearing hispapal mitre, apallium, redvestments, and his regular black shoes.[58] Carmela "Carmelina" Mancuso was the onlylayperson who was allowed to present her respects to the pontiff while he remained in the chapel.[59]
ThePapal apartments at theApostolic Palace, and the personal apartment of Pope Francis at Domus Sanctae Marthae, were later sealed by the Cardinal Camerlengo.[60]
Following his death, Francis's spiritual testament, dated 29 June 2022, was released, revealing his wish to be buried at theBasilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, specifically "in the burial niche in the side aisle between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the Basilica."[61] His statement ended: "May the Lord grant a fitting reward to all those who have loved me and who continue to pray for me. The suffering that has marked the final part of my life, I offer to the Lord, for peace in the world and for fraternity among peoples."[61]
Sixty cardinals held an organizational meeting on 22 April.[62] On 23 April at 09:00, Francis' remains were moved from Domus Sanctae Marthae toSt. Peter's Basilica tolie in state for a three-day public viewing which occurred from 11:00 at the same date until 19:00 on 25 April.[63][64][65] Over 19,000 people came to view Francis within the first eight and a half hours of his lying in state,[66] with queues reaching up toVia della Conciliazione. By that evening, the number of attendees had reached 90,000, prompting officials to shorten closing time to 1.5 hours for cleaning on the morning of 24 April and open the basilica all night afterwards.[67] By 25 April, the number had reached more than 250,000.[68] French-Argentine nunGeneviève Jeanningros, a personal friend of Pope Francis, was let unusually close to his coffin to pay her respects.[69][70]
On 28 April, one week after his death, it was confirmed that the2025 papal conclave to elect Francis's successor would convene on 7 May.[71][72] On 8 May 2025, Robert Francis Prevost was elected as Francis's successor after four rounds of voting, taking the papal namePope Leo XIV.[73]
St. Peter's Square during the funeral. National dignitaries are seated at the top-right, with cardinals and bishops on the opposite side. Other Catholic clergy members are seated at the bottom[74]
Proceedings began with the Camerlengo, Kevin Farrell, presiding over therite of ascertainment of death in the papal chapel.[75][76] A papal funeral has traditionally been an elaborate affair, but Francis approved plans to simplify the rubrics of theOrdo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, theliturgical book detailing the rites of a papal funeral.[5] He opted for a basic wooden coffin lined with zinc and ended the tradition of popes being buried in three coffins (cypress, lead, and elm) and placing the pope's body on araised platform for public viewing.[77][78]
On 25 April, Francis's coffin was sealed during a liturgical rite which began an hour after the lying in state ended.[79] Controversy broke out afterRoger Mahony, the formerArchbishop of Los Angeles who was relieved of his office in 2013 due to mishandling ofclerical sexual abuse, played a role in the ceremonies as the seniorcardinal-priest in Rome, closing the lid of the papal coffin.[80] A text summarising the pope's life (rogitum) was placed in his coffin.[81][82] After theLitany of the Saints, the patriarchs, archbishops, and metropolitans of theEastern Catholic Churches stood beside the coffin of Pope Francis for theSupplicatio Ecclesiae Orientalium (formerly known as theOfficio Defectorum inByzantine liturgy). After thrice chanting thePaschal troparion and chanting prayers, PatriarchYoussef Absi censed the coffin.[83][84][85]
TheMass of Requiem took place on 26 April at 10:00, led by theDean of the College of Cardinals, CardinalGiovanni Battista Re.[58] Roughly 130 foreign delegations were confirmed at the funeral by the Vatican, including several prominent world leaders and heads of state.[86][87] Around 250,000 people were estimated to have attended the funeral Mass at St. Peter's Square, while 140,000 lined up to see the funeral procession in Rome.[88] The funeral Mass also began a nine-day mourning period, known as thenovendiales, during which the cardinals will concelebrate Mass in Francis's memory. TheOffice for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff released the schedule and the list of cardinals who will officiate the Masses for thenovendiales.[89][90]
The Italian government deployed more than 2,500 police officers and 1,500 soldiers to provide security during the funeral. It also deployed anaval vessel off the coast of Rome, and placed fighter jet squadrons on standby.[68] Ano-fly zone was imposed over Rome ahead of the funeral.[91]
The designed seating order at the funeral was based on a division in classes by type of dignitary (reigning monarchs, non-royal heads of state, heads of government, etc.). Within each class, the arrangement was organized according to the alphabetical order of the officialFrench names of the dignitaries' home countries, as French is seen as the mainlanguage of international diplomacy. An exception was made for the presidents of Argentina (Javier Milei), Francis's native country, and Italy (Sergio Mattarella), who were both given precedence ahead of other dignitaries.[92]
Following a procession via aRam 1500-basedpopemobile, Francis was buried in theSanta Maria Maggiore in Rome "in the burial niche in the side aisle between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of theSalus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the Basilica".[94][61] He had a "greatdevotion" to theSalus Populi Romani icon kept in that church.[95] He was the eighth pope to be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the first papal internment there sinceClement IX in 1669,[96] and the first pope interred outside Vatican City sincePope Leo XIII in 1903.[2] Francis's name on the simple marble grave marker was marred by irregularkerning (spacing) of the letters; the misalignment was observed bytypographers and design experts.[97][98]
As the wooden and zinc coffin[99] was carried up the stairs of the Basilica, 40 mourners from the poorest and most marginalized communities – including prisoners on day release,human trafficking victims,transgender women, migrants,sex workers, and homeless people – greeted the coffin.[100]
Following Francis's death, many political and religious leaders across the world offered condolences and paid tribute.[103][104] Several countries also declared periods of national mourning for Pope Francis.[105]
^"Andrej Plenković posljednji je svjetski političar koji je vidio Papu prije smrti".Tportal (in Croatian). Retrieved21 April 2025.S obzirom da Vatikan nije izvijestio o drugim susretima s političarima nakon uskršnje mise. čini se da je hrvatski premijer bio posljednji političar koji se susreo s njime za života. [Considering that the Vatican has not reported about other meetings with political figures after holding Easter mass, it seems the Croatian Prime Minister was the last to meet him in life.]
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