Pope Francis' cause of death revealed by Vatican
Pope Francis dead at 88
Pope Francis died at the age of 88 years old. Michael Haynes, Senior Vatican Correspondent at LifeSite, joins LiveNOW from FOX to talk about the latest.
Pope Francis died of a cerebral stroke, according to an update by Vatican officials on Monday afternoon.
Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, the head of the Vatican’s health department, said that the stroke put him into a coma and led to irreversible heart failure.
Arcangeli added that Francis also suffered from episodes of "respiratory insufficiency," as well as his recent bilateral pneumonia. The pope also suffered from type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
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Pope Francis dies
The backstory:
"At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church," Cardinal Kevin Farrell said from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta, where Francis lived.
Pope Francis waves to onlookers and pilgrims while visiting the predominantly-Roma Lunik IX city district during his visit to eastern Slovakia on September 14, 2021 in Kosice, Slovakia. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
He made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday — a day before his death — to bless thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, drawing wild cheers and applause. Beforehand, he met U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
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Francis performed the blessing from the same loggia where he was introduced on March 13, 2013, as the 266th pope.
Pope Francis' declining health
Dig deeper:
Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14, 2025, for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy.
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What are the signs and symptoms of a stroke?
Why you should care:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a stoke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when something blocks blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.
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According to the CDC, these are the signs and symptoms of a stroke:
Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
- Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
Call 9-1-1 right away if you or someone else has any of these symptoms.
The Source: FOX News and the Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in the story comes from official Vatican sources, including a public statement by Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, head of the Vatican’s health department, who detailed the medical causes of Pope Francis’ death. This story was reported from Los Angeles.