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Pope Francis died of a stroke and 'cardiocirculatory collapse'

A portrait of the late Pope Francis is displayed during a mass in his honor at the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Cathedral Monday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Buda Mendes
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Getty Images
A portrait of the late Pope Francis is displayed during a mass in his honor at the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Cathedral Monday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The Vatican says Pope Francis died of a "a stroke, followed by a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse."

The official certification came from professor Andrea Arcangeli, the director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of the Vatican City State, according to Vatican News, an official publication of the Vatican.

Francis had a "prior history of acute respiratory failure caused by multimicrobial bilateral pneumonia, multiple bronchiectases, high blood pressure, and type II diabetes," the medical report said.

The pope's death was confirmed using electrocardiographic thanatography, Vatican News reported.

Francis was hospitalized for over a month earlier this year for a lengthy illness, which included a severe respiratory infection and bilateral pneumonia.

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The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

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Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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