Final days of Pope who joined Vatican crowds at Easter despite doctors’ advice

At midday on Monday, church bells across Italy began to toll. Pope Francis was dead.
Not even 24 hours had passed since he had made a surprise appearance on the balcony overlooking St Peter’s Square, blessing the 35,000 people gathered to celebrate Easter at the Vatican.
The Pope was breathing on his own, without oxygen tubes, despite being told by his doctors to spend two months convalescing after 38 days in hospital with double pneumonia.
Over the past two weeks Francis had done what he had always done, received visitors and met people from every walk of life.
When he appeared on Easter Sunday, the crowd below erupted in cheers as he appeared; then it fell silent.

Source: BBC | Language: English