Pope Francis breathed his last on Easter Monday, on April 21, at the age of 88, a day after making his last appearance at the Vatican, delivering a special blessing to people. The head of the Roman Catholic Church died of an unexpected stroke that led to a coma and a subsequent heart failure.
The pontiff has talked about embracing old age as it symbolized experience, wisdom, knowledge, discernment, thoughtfulness, listening, and slowness, in an unpublished text released by the Vatican. While he did not fear death or old age, and lived a meaningful and dedicated life, he had one final regret, according to his doctor Dr Sergio Alfieri who also witnessed his final moments.
Dr Alfieri in an interview with Corriere della Sera talked about his last meeting with the Pope on Saturday - two days before he died - when he gave him his favourite pie. During their chat, Pope told the doctor that he was very well and had started working again, and he liked it.
Pope's last regret
"We knew that he wanted to go home to be Pope up until the last moment," said Dr Alfieri. "He didn't let us down."
The doctor told the outlet that the Pope had talked about a regret - not being able to wash the feet of the prisoners he visited at a Rome jail on 17 April.
"He regretted he could not wash the feet of the prisoners," said the doctor. "This time I couldn't do it - was the last thing he said to me."
On the day of his death
The doctor next came to see the Pope on Monday when he was called at 5.30am in the morning and arrived at the Vatican 20 minutes later. However, Pope had slipped into a coma by the time, and had his eyes open.
"I entered his rooms and he [Francis] had his eyes open," he told the Italy-based publication.
"I ascertained that there were no respiratory problems. And then I tried to call his name, but he did not respond to me.
"He didn't respond to stimuli, not even painful ones. In that moment I knew there was nothing more to do. He was in a coma."
Speaking separately to La Repubblica, Dr Alfieri revealed that some officials had proposed transferring the Pope back to the hospital immediately, but he warned that "he would not have survived the journey."
"Doing a CT 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 said.