Vatican confirms stroke and cardiac collapse as cause of Pope Francis’ death

The Vatican has released the medical report on the death of Pope Francis, confirming that the 88-year-old pontiff died of a stroke and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.

The bulletin, published Monday by the Holy See Press Office, states that Pope Francis died at 7:35 a.m. on April 21 at his residence in Domus Santa Marta.

The immediate causes of death were listed as ictus cerebri (cerebral stroke), coma, and “irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.” His death was verified through electrocardiography, the bulletin noted.

According to the medical report, the pontiff had a history of multiple chronic conditions, including: acute respiratory failure due to bilateral polymicrobial pneumonia, multiple bronchiectasis, arterial hypertension and type II diabetes.

The head of the Catholic church had been discharged from Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Hospital less than a month earlier, on March 23, after more than five weeks of treatment for a severe respiratory infection that developed into double pneumonia.

Pope Francis had been admitted to the hospital on February 14 and faced two critical respiratory episodes that required intensive interventions, including mechanical ventilation. After an apparent recovery, the Pope was prescribed a period of extended rest.

Born on December 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013, becoming the first Jesuit, the first Latin American, and the first non-European pope in over 1,200 years.

His over decade-long papacy was marked by efforts to reform the Vatican, a strong focus on social justice, and efforts to promote inclusion for poor and marginalized communities. His leadership also included a key role in introducing financial oversight reforms inside the Holy See.

The death of Pope Francis initiates the sede vacante—the period during which the papal seat is vacant. The College of Cardinals is expected to announce funeral details and the date for the next conclave in the coming days.