Not even 24 hours passed the meeting of Pope Francis with the Vice -President of the United States, JD Vance. Not even 24 hours passed from that last image of the Pope, who came immediately after a holy week in which he participated – against the recommendation of the doctors – in almost all the planned and typical acts of his mandate. But on Easter Monday, The entire world regrets Francisco’s death at 88 years old.
Although, in recent weeks, most of the care have focused on the Pope’s health of the health, the sudden Vatican declaration around 10 in the morning generated enormous shock.
It was not until 20:00 Monday when the Vatican confirmed in his part of death that the cause of Francisco’s death was one Cerebral strokeSomething that has already advanced this morning the Corriere della Della will do it.
The document, signed by the director of health and hygiene of the state of the Vatican city, Andrea Arcangelicertifies that death has occurred 7:35 Local hours (5:35 GMT) of April 21st In his apartment, the Vatican residence Santa Marta House.
Death was verified by A electrocardiogram. “I declare that the causes of death according to my science and consciousness are those indicated,” reads the bulletin.
Complications of bilateral pneumonia
To tell the truth, his state of health was delicate, especially after the last month he was admitted to the Gemelli hospital. All after complications derived from bilateral pneumonia that was diagnosed last February.
After several weeks in the hospital in Polyclinic of twins in Rome for a respiratory infection, It seemed to have recovered after receiving the unloading at the end of March. However, his state of health seems to have deteriorated in the last few days. JD Vance himself recognized, after the meeting mentioned at the beginning of this article, which saw Pope Francis with a fairly delicate health.
What is bilateral pneumonia
Bilateral pneumonia is a respiratory infection that affects the two lungs and this hinders the breath of the person who suffers it. However, evolution always depends on the patient and his ability to respond to treatment.
Therefore, it is a respiratory disease that inflames the alveolar spaces of the lungs, which shows their fabric in reddish and swollen tone.
According to the Spanish society of internal medicine, in a report prepared by the semi -SANITY Education group, pneumonia patients usually present the following symptoms:
- Coughs that produces a brown or green phlegm.
- High fever that can be accompanied by feverish chills.
- Dyspnea.
- Chest pain (acute or sharp that appears or worsens when breathing deep).
Other possible symptoms, although less frequent, may be the following:
- In appearance.
- Fatigue.
- Bluish lips color.
- Cyanosis.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Joint joints the muscle.
Most cases can be treated without admission to the hospital, with antibiotics, rest, care and liquids, although other complicated cases may require hospitalization, as happened with Pope Francis.
Pope’s health
The health of Pope Francis has been constantly in the last years of his pontificate, due to a series of medical complications that have been worsened over time.
One of the most delicate aspects It was its respiratory state. The Pope has been hospitalized several times for respiratory infections, including acute bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia. In February 2025, he was diagnosed with a polymicrobial infection in the respiratory tract, a complex framework that required specific pharmacological treatments.
Respiratory problems
These problems were not new in their medical history. From a young age, Francisco has dragged important sequences: At 21 he was removed from the right lung due to a serious infection. This intervention left him particularly vulnerable to lung diseases throughout his life.
In recent months, their respiratory crises have become more frequent and intense, with episodes of fever, difficulty in speaking and recurring recurrent.
In 2021, The Pope was managed to remove part of the colon Due to diverticulitis, inflammation or infection of the large intestine. Although initially the recovery was favorable, the disorder reappeared later, although under medical supervision.
Subsequently, in June 2023, he underwent a new surgery to repair an engraved hernia and eliminate the healing tissue. This operation was Probably related to previous surgery.
Joint pain
In recent years, the pontiff has also had serious mobility problems. The pain in knee ligaments and chronic sciatica forced him to use cane, Walker and, sometimes, wheelchair to move.
These discomfort limited their participation in public events and influenced their daily routine, although it continued to exercise their functions with effort and dedication.
