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Pope Francis' expressed heartfelt gratitude for his personal health care assistant during his final moments, the Vatican revealed to the New York Post on Tuesday (April 22).
The 88-year old pontiff thanked Massimiliano Strappetti, a nurse and caregiver, for taking him on one final ride in the popemobile on Easter Sunday (April 20) during the hours leading up to his death from a stroke and irreversible heart failure.
“Do you think I can manage it?” Pope Francis asked shortly after being discharged from Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
The pontiff wanted to surprise the more than 50,000 worshippers gathered for his "Urbi et Orbi" blessing on Easter Sunday, which he gave from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.
“Thank you for bringing me back to the Square," Pope Francis told Strappetti.
The Vatican released the first photos of Pope Francis in an open coffin on Tuesday prior to the Confirmation of the Death of the Pontiff ceremony.
The pontiff was seen lying in his vestments with a rosary in his hands as ceremonial guards stood on both sides of his coffin as Vatican officials and members attended a private viewing prior to the official lying-in-state period, which will be open to the public at St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday (April 23). Pope Francis died from a stroke and irreversible heart failure, Vatican doctor Adrea Arcangeli confirmed in his death certificate released on Monday (April 21).
Cardinal Kevin Farrell had previously announced Pope Francis' death in a text on Monday via Vatican News.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” he wrote. "At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."
Pope Francis, the first South American and Jesuit in the history of the papacy, was admitted to the Agnostino Gemelli Polyclinic on February 14 after several days of suffering from bronchitis and his situation worsened as he was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia on February 18. The pope was hospitalized for 38 days before returning to the Vatican to continue his recovery.
Pope Francis' death came one day after he briefly met with Vice President JD Vance despite their public disagreements on President Donald Trump's administration's planned mass deportation of migrants. Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, and the pope spent several minutes together at the Domus Santa Marta "to exchange easter greetings."
The pope, who has made caring for migrants a major focus of his papacy, warned that the Trump administration's forceful removal of migrants due to illegal status deprived them of their inherent dignity and would "end badly" and claimed nations have the right to defend themselves and keep their communities safe from criminals.
Pope Francis delegated the saying of Easter Mass to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, later being spotted taking the popemobile into St. Peter's Square for the first time since his diagnosis, which was met with "Viva il Papa" chants.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, joined the Jesuits in 1958 and was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1969, serving as the Jesuit provincial superior in Argentina from 1973 to 1979 and later the archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, a cardinal in 2001.