Pope Francis died on Monday at age 88, just weeks after he was discharged from the hospital after a lengthy stay. The pontiff's death also came a day after his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, where he went on a popemobile tour around St. Peter's Square and blessed thousands. In an announcement on Monday, the Vatican said Pope Francis' cause of death was a cerebral stroke that put him into a coma and led to irreversible heart failure. Francis' death comes just weeks after he was discharged from the hospital after battling double pneumonia. He spent five weeks at the hospital, the longest hospitalization of his papacy. The pope, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of his lung removed when he was young, was admitted to the hospital in Rome on Feb. 14, 2025, for a respiratory crisis. It later developed into double pneumonia. On March 23, the pontiff returned to the Vatican and continued his recovery. Francis died Monday morning at 7:35 a.m. Central European Summer Time, or 1:35 a.m. Eastern Time, according to the Vatican announcement. He had been pope for 12 years after ascending to the head of the papacy following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013. The death of Francis was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Irish-born Vatican camerlengo, a position that will be important in the coming weeks as he takes charge of the administration of the Holy See until a new pope is elected. Farrell made the announcement at 9:47 a.m., just over two hours after Francis had died. Following the death of Pope Francis, the College of Cardinals will soon meet to elect a new pope. Typically, the conclave begins 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death or resignation. Only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote. While technically any baptized male could be elected pope, the last time the college of cardinals elected someone outside their ranks was in 1378. So, it’s likely the next pope will be one of the current members of the college of cardinals. Read more: https://www.9news.com/article/news/nation-world/how-pope-francis-die-cause-of-death/507-15eb692d-ff3f-4a76-aa26-c247a7f0d2e8 More local videos here: https://youtube.com/@9news Subscribe to NEXT: https://youtube.com/@Nexton9NEWS Stay connected: 9NEWS Website: https://www.9news.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilike9news X: https://twitter.com/9NEWS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/9newsdenver/ Download the 9NEWS App: https://www.9news.com/appredirect/ Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTER: https://www.9news.com/email 9NEWS (KUSA) is located in Denver, Colorado.