Doctor recalls Pope Francis' final moments in new interview
Day 2: Pope Francis lies in state
While Pope Francis lies in state in St Peter’s Basilica ahead of his funeral on Saturday, there is still much work to be done when it comes to finding another Pope. National Catholic Reporter John Grosso explains the process of a conclave which is a private meeting known for its association with the Catholic Church's election of a new Pope.
Pope Francis’ doctor quickly realized there was "nothing more to do" when he found the pontiff unresponsive early Monday morning.
In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Dr. Sergio Alfieri recalled the pope’s final moments. He said Francis’ health care assistant notified him around 5:30 a.m. that the pope needed to be taken to the hospital, but Alfieri knew Francis wanted to die at home.
Francis, 88, died two hours later from a stroke.
RELATED: How to watch Pope Francis' funeral
Pope Francis’ last moments
What they're saying:
"I went into his room, and he had his eyes open. I noted that he did not have respiratory issues, so I tried to call him but he did not respond,’’ Alfieri told the paper. "He also did not respond to stimuli, even painful ones. In that moment I understood there was nothing more to do. He was in a coma.’’
FILE - Pope Francis waves to the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for the general audience on June 13, 2018 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Alfieri said it was too risky moving Francis back to the Gemelli hospital, where he was treated for a complex respiratory infection that nearly killed him twice. "The pope wanted to die at home, he always said it while he was at Gemelli,’’ Alfieri said.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin arrived and said the rosary over the body, accompanied by the papal household staff, Alfieri told the Milan daily.
RELATED: Pope Francis' body moved to St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing
"I gave him a caress, as a farewell,’’ the doctor said.
Vatican News has reported that the pope managed a gesture of farewell after falling ill, and that people with him at the time said he did not appear to suffer.
The backstory:
Dr. Sergio Alfieri coordinated Francis’ five-week hospital treatment for double pneumonia and continued to oversee the pope’s treatment after the pontiff returned to the Vatican on March 23 for two months of rest to allow a full recovery.
Thousands pay their respects to Pope Francis
Thousands of people are paying their respects to Pope Francis who passed on Monday at the age of 88. He is currently lying in state in St. Peter's Basilica and, in break of tradition, will be buried at Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Fox Multimedia Reporter Chelsea Torres and Catholic theologian Rich Raho join LiveNOW's Andrew Craft to discuss the crowds gathering to pay their respects and give insight into Vatican City and Catholic traditions.
What's next:
Francis will be buried Saturday in a state funeral expected to draw world leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and dozens of official delegations.
How to watch Pope Francis' funeral
LiveNow from FOX will have full coverage of Pope Francis' funeral Saturday:
- 3 a.m. ET: Funeral coverage begins on LiveNow from FOX
- 4 a.m. ET: Funeral starts (it's expected to last two to three hours)
- 9 a.m. ET: LiveNow from FOX will air a full, uninterrupted replay of the funeral service
You can watch it live on livenowfox.com or wherever you stream. LiveNOW from FOX streams for free on the FOX LOCAL app available through Apple TV, Amazon FireTV, Roku and Google Android TV. It also streams for free on YouTube, Freevee, Amazon News, Plex, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, Tubi and Vizio. LiveNow from FOX is also available on YouTube TV, Xumo and fuboTV.
The Source: This report includes information from The Associated Press and LiveNow from FOX.