Just hours before his death, Pope Francis expressed gratitude for being able to join worshippers on St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday one last time.
This is according to remarks revealed by the official Vatican News portal on Tuesday.
Although visibly weakened, Pope Francis delivered the traditional Urbi et Orbi (To the City and to the World) blessing to tens of thousands of believers in St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.
According to the Vatican News, he afterwards told his long-time nurse Massimiliano Strappetti, “Thank you for bringing me back to the square,” in some of his last words before passing away early on Easter Monday.
Less than 24 hours before his death, the pope was greeted by cheers as he appeared briefly on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to deliver a shortened version of the blessing and tell the crowd: “Dear brothers and sisters, happy Easter.”
Afterwards Francis was driven around the square in his Popemobile. Unlike recent appearances, he did not have a nose tube to supply him with extra oxygen.
Francis left the Gemelli Hospital in Rome a month ago after spending 38 days in hospital with pneumonia which had infected both his lungs.
Doctors advised him to take it easy following his life-threatening illness.
During his few public appearances since his discharge, he sometimes appeared very weak.
According to the Vatican, Strappetti, whom Francis appointed his personal healthcare assistant in 2022, kept watch “round-the-clock” while he was recovering at the Santa Marta guesthouse, his residence in the Vatican.
Strappetti also accompanied him during his final appearance at St Peter’s Square.
