Pope Francis' cause of death revealed as cerebral stroke, heart failure

David Matthews, New York Daily News on Apr 21, 2025

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Pope Francis died after a cerebral stroke, the Vatican announced Monday.

The 88-year-old pontiff died early Easter Monday following the stroke. The episode put him into a coma and led to irreversible heart failure, Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, the head of the Vatican’s health department, said in a death certificate released Monday.

Francis dealt with chronic lung disease and had part of one of his lungs removed in his youth. Recently, he was hospitalized for more than a month after respiratory illness developed into double pneumonia.

“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell said in a statement on Vatican News. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.”

The Vatican said the pope’s body will be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning “so that the faithful may pray before his mortal remains,” spokesperson Matteo Bruni said.

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