Pope Francis' doctor has revealed that the late pontiff shared one final regret before he passed away.
The 88-year-old died on Easter Monday, with the Vatican later announcing he had suffered a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure.
The medic overseeing his treatment, Dr Sergio Alfieri, has now offered further insights into Pope Francis' final moments and what happened on the fateful morning of 21 April.
Advert
He also headed up the team which looked after the late leader of the Catholic church when he spent five weeks in hospital while battling a bout of double pneumonia.
Dr Alfieri revealed that he was summoned to the Vatican in the early hours of the morning, first receiving a call at 5.30am, before he got there about 20 minutes later.
He told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that he arrived to find the Pope conscious, but unresponsive, recalling how the 88-year-old 'had his eyes open'.
"I ascertained that there were no respiratory problems," the director of the medical-surgical department at the Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital said. "And then I tried to call his name, but he did not respond to me.
Advert
"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."
Dr Alfieri said that some officials had suggested rushing the Pope back to hospital, but he believed it was far too late to do anything to save the pontiff.
"He would have died on the way," the doctor told La Repubblica in another interview. "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."
After being discharged from hospital on 23 March, the Pope had been ordered to spend at least two months resting and recovering by his medical team.
Advert
But ever the grafter, Pope Francis couldn't keep himself away from his duties for too long - although Dr Alfieri insists he did take heed of the medical advice and didn't overdo it.
Days before his death, the pontiff had visited inmates in Rome’s Regina Coeli prison on 17 April, as part of his annual tradition to mark Holy Thursday.
Although he wasn't able to go the whole hog this year, he personally greeted those there, offered them words of encouragement, and gifted each of them a Rosary and a pocket-sized Gospel.
Usually, Pope Francis would take part in a foot-washing ritual as a symbolic act of service and humility, like Jesus did before the Last Supper - but given his health woes, he gave it a miss this year.
Advert
"I have always liked coming to prison on Holy Thursday to do the washing of the feet like Jesus," he told the inmates. "This year, I cannot do it, but I want to be close to you. I pray for you and your families."
The Pope also revealed one final regret to his doctor, explaining that he was disappointed that he could not fulfil the foot-washing ritual while visiting the inmates.
"He regretted he could not wash the feet of the prisoners," Dr Alfieri told La Repubblica. "'This time, I couldn't do it,' was the last thing he said to me."
Following this outing, Pope Francis also met with US Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday before then addressing thousands of people from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica.
Advert
Just 24 hours later, he took his last breaths - and Dr Alfieri believes the pontiff enjoyed his final days just as he would have wanted to.
"He [was] the Pope," the medic told Corriere della Sera. "Going back to work was part of his treatment and he was never exposed to danger.
"We knew that he wanted to go home to be Pope up until the last moment. He didn't let us down."
Dr Alfieri said he had taken Francis a pie in a flavour that he liked on the Saturday afternoon, adding that Francis had also told him: "I am very well, I have started working again, and I like it."
Topics: Pope Francis, Religion, World News, Health
Olivia Burke