Pope Francis official cause of death revealed in the announcement of the Vatican
Pope Francis, 88, died on Easter Monday of a stroke and cardiac arrest, according to a Vatican ad.
Alex Hogan of News confirmed in a report in the air that the Pope had a stroke in the early hours of April 21, entered into a coma and then had a heart attack.
The death of the Pope follows years of health concerns, including a recent hospitalization for double pneumonia.
Dead Francis Pope at age 88
The official death announcement was made at the Pope’s residence in the Chapel of St. Martha on Monday.
A faithful contains a portrait of the late Pope Francis in the Basilica of San José de Flores, where he adored when he was young, after the announcement of his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on April 21, 2025. (Gustavo Garello/AP)
Pope Francis served for 12 years and advocated causes that include the rights of migrants, climate change and LGBTQ inclusion, Hogan reported.
The day before his death, the Pope met with Vice President JD Vance in the city of the Vatican.
Death of Pope Francis after respiratory disease: what to know about bilateral pneumonia
While Pope’s recent fight with pneumonia had caused concerns about his health, the stroke event that led to his death was a shock among his faithful, according to reports.
The strokes are the fifth main cause of death in the United States and a main cause of disability, according to the American driving association.
Pope Francis shows in Luxembourg on September 26, 2024. While the Pope’s recent fight with pneumonia had caused concerns about his health, the stroke event that led to his death was a shock among his faithful. (Simon Wohlfahrt/News/Getty)
“The stroke is an injury to the brain due to deterioration of the blood flow,” said Dr. Sandeep Kumar, a neurologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, News Digital.
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“A normal blood supply is vital for the brain to function normally and for the preservation of its structure. The interruption of blood flow deprives the affected parts of the brain of receiving oxygen and other nutrients, with the result that these tissues begin to disintegrate quickly.”
While there are two main types of stroke, ischemic and hemorrhagic, ischemic strokes are the most common, which represent 87% of all cases, according to the association.
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“Blood flow to the brain can compromise when … a cerebral artery is blocked by a blood clot or a plate,” Kumar said. “This is called ischemic stroke.”
The strokes are the fifth main cause of death in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association. (Istock)
In the case of a hemorrhagic stroke, the blood vessel that supplies brain ruptures, which leads to bleed inside brain tissue, according to Kumar.
“Bleeding can directly damage brain cells or deprive surrounding tissues of receiving adequate oxygen and nutrients,” he added.
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Ashlyn Messier of News Digital contributed to this report.
Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for News Digital.