Pope Francis’ Final Nine Words and Heartbreaking Last Gesture Before His Death Revealed

In his final moments, Pope Francis offered a quiet but powerful goodbye — a simple gesture of farewell with his hand to the man who had stayed by his side throughout his illness.

More than a caregiver, Strappetti was the man who once saved the Pope’s life by recommending colon surgery. For his unwavering dedication, Pope Francis appointed him as his personal healthcare assistant in 2022.

Strappetti remained at the Pope’s side throughout his final hospitalization at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital and later at the Casa Santa Marta, where he kept round-the-clock watch.

On Easter Sunday, Strappetti was by the Pope’s side during the Urbi et Orbi blessing — what would be Pope Francis’ last public appearance. The day before, they had reviewed the path he would walk to the Central Loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope Francis had hoped to surprise the 50,000 faithful gathered in the square by riding in the popemobile after the blessing. But he hesitated and sought his assistant’s guidance, asking, “Do you think I can manage it?”

He did. That Sunday, he returned to the square, embracing the crowd and paying special attention to children. It was his first popemobile ride since his hospital discharge — and the final one of his life.

Tired yet content, he turned to Strappetti and said, “Thank you for bringing me back to the Square.” In that moment, he revealed the depth of his desire to be close to the people, a principle that had defined his papacy from the start.

Later that day, he had a quiet dinner and went to bed. Around 5:30 a.m. the next morning, he showed signs of sudden illness. The medical team responded immediately, but about an hour later, Pope Francis slipped into a coma.

Just before losing consciousness, lying in his bed on the second floor of Casa Santa Marta, he offered a final gesture — a wave of the hand to Strappetti.

According to those present, he did not suffer. The death was sudden and discreet, in keeping with the Pope’s reserved nature regarding his health.

From the moment of his election on March 13, 2013, Pope Francis had pledged to walk “together” with the people of God. In his last hours, he made good on that promise with humility, warmth, and grace.

The cause of death was confirmed as a stroke, followed by a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse. Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, Director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of the Vatican City State, issued the official certification.

A report released by the Holy See Press Office detailed the Pope’s medical history, which included acute respiratory failure from multimicrobial bilateral pneumonia, multiple bronchiectases, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. His death was confirmed via electrocardiographic thanatography.

In a separate, quietly moving moment, Vice President JD Vance — one of the last world leaders to meet with Pope Francis — shared three final words with the Pontiff during his recent visit to the Vatican, words that now carry added weight in light of the Pope’s passing.

Vance, a Catholic convert, met Pope Francis at the Domus Santa Marta in Vatican City on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025. The Pope, seated in a wheelchair, appeared frail and was reportedly barely audible in video footage released by the Vatican.

As Vance entered the room, he bent down and gently grasped the pontiff’s hand. “Hello,” he said. “So good to see you.” The Pope did not respond audibly. A priest acting as a translator spoke in his stead.

Still, Vance, visibly moved by the moment, offered words of comfort. “I know you’ve not been feeling great, but it’s good to see you in better health,” he said.

After a quiet exchange and a photo taken with Vance standing to the Pope’s right, the vice president offered a final parting message, “God bless you.”

These were the last three words Vance shared with Pope Francis — words of reverence, delivered just before the Pope’s passing. Though the meeting was short, it carried considerable weight.

Vance and Pope Francis had publicly disagreed on matters such as the Trump administration’s immigration policies and deportation tactics. Despite their ideological differences, the meeting on Easter Sunday was cordial and respectful.

According to the Vatican, the two men met to exchange Easter greetings. Vance’s motorcade remained on Vatican grounds for just 17 minutes. His office confirmed the meeting but did not elaborate.

On Saturday, the day before their encounter, Vance met with senior Vatican officials to discuss topics including global conflict and immigration — a subject that defined many of Pope Francis’ public statements.

During the encounter, the Pope offered gifts for the Vice President’s family. Through his translator, a priest presented Vance with chocolate eggs and a tray of items including rosaries and a Vatican tie.

“These are for your children,” the priest said. Vance accepted the tie and replied, “Thank you. So beautiful.”

After the meeting, the vice president and his family attended Easter mass at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. They also visited the tomb of the apostle Paul.

Following the Pope’s passing, Vance posted a tribute on X, expressing his sorrow and reflecting on the significance of their final meeting. “I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him,” he wrote.

The post continued, “I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul.”