ROME (AP) — Pope Francis’ doctor has recounted the pontiff's final moments in a pair of newspaper interviews published Thursday, saying the pope had his eyes open but was unresponsive after being stricken by illness early Monday morning. "He died without suffering, at home,'' the doctor said.
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.
Alfieri was alerted at 5:30 a.m. Monday by Francis’ health care assistant, Massimiliano Strappetti, that Francis had been stricken and needed to be taken to the hospital. The doctor told the Milan daily Corriere della Sera that he arrived 20 minutes later.
“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 was quoted by Corriere as saying, adding that his lungs were clear and he was receiving supplemental oxygen. “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.’’
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.
Two hours after falling ill, the pope died, having suffered a stroke.
“He died without suffering, at home,″ Alfieri told the Rome daily La Repubblica.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin arrived and said the rosary over the body, accompanied by the papal household staff, Alfieri told Corriere. “I gave him a caress, as a farewell,’’ the doctor said.
Vatican News has reported that the pope managed a gesture of farewell to Strappetti after falling ill.
Alfieri became the pope's surgeon when he needed treatment for diverticulitis in 2021. Alfieri tried to get him on a diet after the surgery.
“He had a big sweet-tooth, and sometimes would go to the kitchen at the Santa Marta hotel for a midnight snack. He put on a dozen kilograms (nearly 30 pounds) too many. At times I came off as too rigorous, because he told me, ‘Remember to live with irony.’ "
After the pope suffered several severe respiratory crises in the hospital that required decisive treatment, the surgeon said, “We knew he wouldn’t return to his former condition, and that the infection had left another scar on his lungs.''
Still, ”he improved with physical therapy. I saw him on Saturday, and I found him in good shape. I didn’t think it would be the last meeting,'' Alfieri told la Repubblica.
Though Francis was ordered to rest and avoid crowds for two months to recover, Alfieri expressed understanding for the pope's desire to return to work. “Going back to work was part of his treatment, and he never exposed himself to dangers,″ Alfieri told Corriere.
Francis couldn't resist appearing in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, which culminated with a long drive through the Easter crowd of 50,000 on the pope mobile, with several stops to bless children. He also insisted on inviting health care workers from the Gemelli hospital to the Vatican before Easter, even though the doctor suggested they wait until the end of the two-month convalescence in June.
“I have the clear sensation now that there were a series of things he felt he had to do before dying,″ Alfieri told Corriere. ”We knew he wanted to return home to be pope until the last instant, and he didn't disappoint us.''
Pope Francis lies in state inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, April 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — The 69th Eurovision Song Contest will holds its grand final on Saturday night.
The Swiss city of Basel played host this week to competitors representing 37 countries. They danced, they sang, they engaged in disco diplomacy as part of one of the world’s biggest spectacles.
Semifinal performances on Tuesday and Thursday whittled the competitors down to just 26 acts. They're competing for the coveted crystal microphone trophy.
The finalists are: Norway, Luxembourg, Estonia, Israel, Lithuania, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Austria, Iceland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Poland, Germany, Greece, Armenia, Switzerland, Malta, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, France, San Marino and Albania.
The contest airs Saturday at 9 p.m. local time (1900GMT).
Photographer Martin Meissner from Germany switches from sports to entertainment for a week to photograph his fifth Eurovision.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Tommy Cash from Estonia performs the song "Espresso Macchiato" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Klavdia from Greece performs the song "Asteromata" during the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
KAJ from Sweden performs the song "Bara Bada Bastu" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Lucio Corsi from Italy performs the song "Volevo Essere Un Duro" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Gabry Ponte from San Marino performs the song "Tutta L'Italia" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Gabry Ponte from San Marino performs the song "Tutta L'Italia" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Marko Bosnjak from Croatia performs the song "Poison Cake" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Theo Evan from Cyprus performs the song "Shh" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Hosts Hazel Brugger, centre right and Sandra Studer, centre left, on stage during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
VAEB from Iceland performs the song "ROA" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Justyna Steczkowska from Poland performs the song "GAJA" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Klemen from Slovenia performs the song "How Much Time Do We Have Left" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Miriana Conte from Malta performs the song "SERVING" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Mariam Shengelia from Georgia performs the song Freedom during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
ADONXS from Czechia performs the song "Kiss Kiss Goodbye" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Laura Thorn from Luxembourg performs the song "La Poupee Monte Le Son" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Yuval Raphael from Israel performs the song "New Day Will Rise" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Klavdia from Greece performs the song "Asteromata" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Kyle Alessandro from Norway performs the song "Lighter" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
PARG from Armenia performs the song "SURVIVOR" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Remember Monday from the United Kingdom perform the song "What The Hell Just Happened" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
JJ from Austria performs the song "Wasted Love" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Miriana Conte from Malta performs the song "SERVING" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Go-Jo from Australia performs the song "Milkshake Man" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Claude from the Netherlands performs the song "C'est La Vie" during the first semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Nina Zizic from Montenegro performs the song "Dobrodosli" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Louane from France performs the song "maman" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Tautumeitas from Latvia performs the song "Bur Man Laimi" during the second semi-final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
