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Introduction
In a move that has stunned Catholics and global leaders alike, the Vatican has released powerful new details about Pope Francis’s final hours—including his last whispered words and a poignant farewell gesture to the man who cared for him.
On Easter Sunday, despite frail health, the Pope insisted on giving his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square. According to Vatican sources, he asked his aide, Massimiliano Strappetti, “Do you think I can manage it?” When reassured, he shared a heartfelt final sentiment: “Thank you for bringing me back to the Square.”
That evening, he rested briefly before rising early Monday morning around 5:30 a.m., showing initial signs of a sudden decline. Within an hour, Pope Francis made a gentle hand gesture of farewell to Strappetti before slipping into a coma due to a fatal cerebral stroke and irreversible cardiac arrest. He passed away peacefully at 7:35 a.m. — reportedly without suffering.
The stunning revelation created a wave of global mourning. Thousands have since flocked to St. Peter’s Basilica, where he lies in a simple open coffin, to pay their respects. One mourner at a memorial Mass in Australia described him as “tremendous”—a shepherd to the end, speaking the universal language of compassion and love.
His final moments reflect a man whose faith, humility, and service defined his life and papacy. Remaining true to his wishes, he will be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore, not in St. Peter’s, making him the first pope in over a century to rest outside the Vatican walls. His coffin bears coins minted each year of his 12‑year papacy and is engraved with his Latin name, Franciscus.
As the Vatican seals his residence and the world prepares for the conclave to choose his successor, these intimate details—his final gratitude, his farewell gesture, his serene passing—offer a glimpse into the heart of a man who led with love, gentleness, and unyielding hope.
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