The last days of the Pope who joined the Vatican crowd on Easter despite the advice of doctors

On Monday, the church bells across Italy began to pay. Pope Francis died.

Even 24 hours passed, as he made an unexpected appearance on the balcony with view of St. Peter’s Square, blessing 35,000 people gathered to celebrate Easter in the Vatican.

The pope breathed on his own, without oxygen pipes, despite the fact that his doctors ordered to spend two months after 38 days at a double pneumonia hospital.

Over the past two weeks, Francis did what he always did, received visitors and met people from all affairs.

When he appeared on Easter Sunday, the crowd flashed below as he appeared; Then he fell silent.

“Dear brothers and sisters, I wish you a happy Easter,” he said, his voice is heavy from effort.

They had to be his last words in public.

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“I think people could feel something – as if they could say it was the last time they saw him,” said Mauro, a resident of Rome, who was in St. Peter’s Square at the Easter Mass and now returned to pay their respect.

“Usually everyone shouted that” lives “the Pope!” … This time it was much quieter than usual, perhaps more respect for his suffering. “

“He blessed us, but his voice was a husk,” said the Albert man. “I think he gave us the last farewell.”

Doctors treated by Francis at Hemel Hospital in Rome have prescribed a full rest regime – but it was never likely that the Pope, who held most of his papal meeting, was usually active.

Francis already made it clear that he wanted to return to the Vatican on time for Easter, as soon as the experts who treat him explained that health problems would not be solved quickly.

For Christians Easter is even important than Christmas, because it symbolizes the basic principle of its faith – the revival of Christ, three days after the vaccination to the cross.

Before he was discharged on March 23, Francis waved the crowd from the hospital, and then headed back to his quarter at the Casa Santa Marta.

His medical team stated that everything he needed was oxygen, and as a result of recovery was better than in the hospital with all infections.

Easter was only three weeks, and as he approached, the Pope’s schedule became more busy.

He met King Charles and Queen Kamila in the box -snar -marty, and then appeared on the Vatican balcony on Palm -four days later, mixing with a crowd of 20,000 people on St. Peter’s Square, against the recommendations of doctors.

But for Pope Easter was the most important time of all.

Last Thursday, as he did many times earlier, and, as he did in his native Argentina before becoming the Pope, he visited Regina Cooli in Rome, where he spent half an hour, meeting the prisoners and he was applauded by employees and guards when he arrived in a wheelchair.

In previous years, he washed the legs of the prisoners, reflecting what Jesus was doing with his disciples on the night to death.

“This year I can’t do it, but I can and I want to be close to you,” he said a weak voice by a dozen prisoners who came to him and greeted when he visited the prison.

“We are so lucky. Those who are outside, do not see it, and we do,” said one person Italian media.

When he was leaving the prison, the journalist asked how he would try Easter this year.

“No matter what I can,” he replied.

And on Sunday he fulfilled the promise.

He held a short meeting with the US Vice President JD Vance before appearing in front of the crowd on St. Peter’s Square when the crowd flashed below.

He made his final blessing – the Urbi et Orbi address in Latin, which means “for the city and the world.” Then Archbishop Diego Ravel read a speech written by the Pope when Francis was silent near him.

Then, to surprise, he descended to St. Peter’s Square, where he was left at the open top of the Popemobile Little White Mercedes-Benz, which was used by the Pope to meet with the crowds.

The camera followed him when he raised his hand to bless the loyal lining of the sunny square, and several babies were to him. It was the last time the world saw it alive.

Watching Frances’ blessing on Sunday, Albert from Rome felt that he would not last much longer, although the Pope’s death was still shock.

“I didn’t feel happy, seeing him, I could say he hurts,” he said. “But it was honored to see him last.”

Francis died on Monday on Monday in his favorite cash-sent residence in 100-and-room numbers, guided by nuns and open to pilgrims and visitors.

A little more than two hours, Cardinal Camberlen, or Camemerleng, stood in the box office -marty and made the news publicly available.

The Vatican said he died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure on Monday night.

The Pope’s numbers were far from the wealth of the Vatican neighborhoods, which are usually predetermined by the Pontiff, which Francis refused at the beginning of his papacy, saying that he felt the need to “live among people.”

“If I lived myself, perhaps even a little in the isolation, it would not have been good for me,” he said then.

In the coming days, cardinals from all over the world will remain in Casa Santa Marta if they gather in Rome for a conclave that will select Francis.

Outside, in the bright sunlight on St. Peter’s Square, people mixed up with priests and monks under the imposition of Basilica.

A group of nuns, dressed in gray and white, looked at the man who, in his headphones, danced through the square. “No respect,” they tugged.

The same large screens that broadcast the blessing of the Pope on Easter have now shown a photo of Francis to smile and notice that he had a special Rosary for 12 hours after his death.

This would allow the Catholics near and pray for them – and thank him for the celebration of the last Easter with them.