A death certificate issued by the Vatican lists the cause of Pope Francis’ death as a stroke that prompted irreversible heart failure.
The certificate officially lists the cause of death as cerebral stroke, coma, and “cardiocirculatory collapse.” The Vatican City’s director of the health, professor Andrea Arcangeli, signed the document.
It also lists Francis’ prior health struggles, including the bilateral pneumonia he was recently hospitalized for, hypertension and Type II diabetes.
His official time of death was 7:35 a.m local time on the morning of April 21.
In a somber scene at St. Peter’s Square, hundreds of mourners sat to hear the recitation of the Holy Rosary just hours after the announcement of Pope Francis’ death.
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti spoke to the crowd about “Papa Francesco” just prior to the recitation. The rosary then began in Latin as multiple speakers recited the prayer.
As the sun set, much of the crowd bowed their heads, with sorrow on their faces and some with tears in their eyes. Some in the crowd held photos of Francis.
