Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, but the cause of death is not what many expected. Many assumed that after months of fighting major respiratory difficulties and even pneumonia, the adored pontiff’s death was the result of these complications. However, in a stunning turn of events, the Vatican has acknowledged that Pope Francis died of a major brain stroke, not any of the respiratory diseases for which he had previously received treatment.

Peaceful passing in the Vatican. The Catholic Church’s leader died early Monday morning in his quarters at Saint Martha’s House in Vatican City. According to doctors, the Pope awoke about 6 a.m., but by 7 a.m., he was sick. Within 30 minutes, he was in a coma. He never got up again. Officials claimed he died quietly at home, surrounded by the solitude of Vatican grounds, rather than in a hospital.

Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, but the cause of death is not what many expected. Many assumed that after months of fighting major respiratory difficulties and even pneumonia, the adored pontiff’s death was the result of these complications. However, in a stunning turn of events, the Vatican has acknowledged that Pope Francis died of a major brain stroke, not any of the respiratory diseases for which he had previously received treatment.

Peaceful passing in the Vatican. The Catholic Church’s leader died early Monday morning in his quarters at Saint Martha’s House in Vatican City. According to doctors, the Pope awoke about 6 a.m., but by 7 a.m., he was sick. Within 30 minutes, he was in a coma. He never got up again. Officials claimed he died quietly at home, surrounded by the solitude of Vatican grounds, rather than in a hospital.

After spending weeks in and out of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital with double pneumonia and a deadly case of bronchitis, many people felt his lungs were to blame. In fact, by February, his condition had deteriorated so dramatically that his medical team was bracing for disaster. He apparently had acute respiratory failure, a polymicrobial illness, and kidney problems.

However, the official Vatican account states that his death was caused by a stroke. The stroke caused a coma and what was described as “irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.” A large stroke is usually caused by a blood clot in the brain. It is quite dangerous and can harm a big area of the brain.