By Abiola Olawale
The head of Pope Francis’s medical team, Sergio Alfieri, on Thursday, has provided a fresh update on the pontiff’s passing, confirming that Pope Francis died quickly and without suffering.
Alfieri, a physician at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, also stated that Pope Francis suffered an unexpected stroke without suffering undue pain, stating that there was nothing that doctors could have done to save his life.
Recall that the leader of the Catholic Church passed away on Monday morning, April 21, 2025, due to a sudden stroke and irreversible heart failure, according to the official death certificate released by the Vatican.
Giving more updates, Alfieri said he got a phone call at around 5:30 a.m. on Monday morning to come quickly to the Vatican and arrived about 20 minutes later.
He said: “I entered his rooms and he (Francis) had his eyes open. I ascertained that there were no respiratory problems. And then I tried to call his name, but he did not respond to me.
“At that moment I knew there was nothing more to do. He was in a coma.”
According to Alfieri, some officials who were present with the pope suggested moving him immediately back to the hospital.
“He would have died on the way. Doing a scan we would have had a more exact diagnosis, but nothing more. It was one of those strokes that, in an hour, carries you away,” he added.
