The Vatican announced that Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of Catholics and the head of state of the Vatican, has passed away. The statement said that the Pope's cause of death was a stroke, coma and irreversible heart failure.
Death Details and Health Status
According to a report published by the Vatican, Pope Francis died this morning at 07:35 local time in his apartment in the Santa Marta Guesthouse in the Vatican. It was stated that he had acute respiratory failure, polymicrobial double-sided pneumonia, high blood pressure and diabetes, accompanied by stroke, coma and heart failure.
Will and Burial Place
In another statement from the Vatican, Pope Francis' will was shared. It was stated that the Pope wanted to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, where he would go and pray privately before and after each of his foreign trips. It was noted that he wanted his grave to be in the ground, plain and without any special decoration, with only the word "Franciscus" written on it. In an interview in 2023, the Pope said that he wanted to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, saying that it was "his favorite" and "the church he visited most often." If tradition is broken and the cleric is buried in this church, Francis will be the first pope to be buried outside the Vatican in a century.
Mourning and Commemoration Ceremonies Around the World
Following the death of Pope Francis, mourning and commemoration ceremonies were held around the world. A prayer was held in the evening hours in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican in memory of Pope Francis. Those gathered in the square were seen applauding Pope Francis. In Italy, the lights of the Colosseum, a symbol of Rome, were turned off to commemorate the Pope. Three days of mourning were declared in Spain and Lebanon, and seven days in Argentina and Brazil. In the US, flags were lowered to half-staff at the White House and all federal institutions. US President Donald Trump announced that he and his wife will attend the Pope's funeral.
