Pope Francis passed away, according to the Vatican, from a stroke that left him in a coma and caused heart failure. The head of the Vatican’s health department, Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, confirmed the death on Monday.
Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was hospitalized for 38 days earlier this year following a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.
The choice of the future pope has not yet been made: A number of meticulously planned rites and rituals are initiated when a pope passes away. A pope successor will ultimately be chosen by eligible cardinals in “the Conclave,” which will take place in the Sistine Chapel.
The Vatican also released the Pope’s final will and spiritual testament, dated 29 June 2022, on Monday.
In the short text, Pope Francis decreed he would be buried in a simple underground tomb — with only “Franciscus” written on it — at St. Mary Major Basilica, home to Francis’ favorite icon of the Virgin Mary, to whom he was particularly devoted.
Francis thanked those who prayed for him and asked for continued prayers. “The suffering that became present in the latter part of my life I offered it to the Lord for world peace and brotherhood among peoples,” he concluded.
