ROME, April 21. /TASS/. Pope Francis died early on April 21, the day when Rome celebrates the 2,778th anniversary of its founding.
History has it that Rome was founded on April 21, 753 B.C. by Romulus and his twin brother Remus.
Although this holiday is not an official day off, the city’s authorities typically organize various events, ceremonies, costume parades and shows.
However, this year all festivities have been cancelled out of respect for the pontiff, so that people can properly grieve, the city mayor’s office told TASS. Flags on the buildings of state institutions and diplomatic missions have been lowered.
Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88. He took the helm of the Catholic Church as the 266th pope in 2013, following the resignation of his predecessor Benedict XVI (1927-2022).
On March 23, Francis was discharged from the hospital, where he had spent nearly 40 days. He had been treated for a complicated form of pneumonia and, as his doctors later reported, came close to death twice. The pontiff was ordered to have two months of complete rest, but he began briefly leaving his residence in the former Vatican hotel of St. Martha’s to visit St. Peter’s Basilica.
On April 20, the head of the Roman Catholic Church drove Francis in the popemobile through a square full of worshippers who had come out to celebrate Easter.
According to Italy’ La Repubblica newspaper, the most probable cause of death was a stroke or a brain hemorrhage.