Pope Francis' last words revealed as Vatican shares pontiff did not suffer in his final hours

VATICAN CITY, VATICAN: The Vatican has released poignant new details about the final hours of Pope Francis, who died on Monday, April 21. 

Among his last words was a simple but heartfelt "thank you" to his personal nurse and caregiver, Massimiliano Strappetti. 

Just hours before his death, the 88-year-old pontiff made his final public appearance, delivering a touching Easter message to tens of thousands gathered in St Peter’s Square.

Pope Francis' last words before death at 88

According to Vatican News, one of Pope Francis’ final words was a heartfelt “thank you” directed at his longtime personal healthcare assistant, Massimiliano Strappetti. 

The gesture was an expression of deep gratitude for Strappetti’s unwavering care throughout the Pope’s illness and beyond. “Thank you for bringing me back to the Square,” Francis told him, referring to his emotional final appearance in St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.

Strappetti, who once played a critical role in saving the Pope’s life by recommending colon surgery, was appointed as his personal healthcare assistant in 2022. 

He remained by the Pope’s side during all 38 days of his hospitalization at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital and continued providing round-the-clock care at Casa Santa Marta during his recovery. 

On Easter Sunday, Strappetti was present during the Pope’s Urbi et Orbi blessing, and the day before, he had accompanied Francis to St Peter’s Basilica to rehearse the route he would take for his final public appearance from the Central Loggia.

In his final act of connection with the faithful, Pope Francis wished to surprise the 50,000 gathered in St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday with one last ride in the popemobile, following his blessing from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica. 

Though initially uncertain about his strength, he turned to his trusted caregiver, Massimiliano Strappetti, asking, “Do you think I can manage it?” Reassured, Pope Francis made the journey through the square, warmly greeting the crowd, especially the children, in what would become his final public appearance.

Pope Francis’ final hours explained 

After returning from St Peter's Square, Pope Francis rested quietly that Sunday afternoon and shared a simple dinner.

But at around 5:30 am the next morning, signs of a sudden illness began to emerge. About an hour later, lying in his apartment at Casa Santa Marta, he gave a gentle gesture of farewell to Strappetti before falling into a coma. 

Those present in his final moments said his death was peaceful and swift, true to his character as a private man who rarely spoke about his health.

Francis died discreetly, without prolonged suffering or public distress, just one day after offering his last Apostolic Blessing to the world, a final embrace of the people he so deeply loved.

Francis’ funeral is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at 10 am in St Peter’s Square, with public viewing of his body beginning Wednesday inside St Peter’s Basilica, as per Fox News.

Francis officially died at 7:35 am local time on Monday, with the cause of death listed as a cerebral stroke, coma, and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.

Despite ongoing health challenges, Francis remained dedicated to his duties almost until the very end. “He had a phenomenal work ethic,” his biographer Austen Ivereigh revealed to PEOPLE. “That's been true of him for decades. People who work with him say he hasn't taken a holiday since the 1970s.”