Massimiliano Strappetti was more than a nurse for Pope Francis. His role transcended the limits of medicine and he became an essential figure in the last years of the pontificate. His constant support, even in the most delicate moments of the Pontiff’s health, was key for Francis to maintain his closeness with the faithful until the end of his life.
The Vatican confirmed that the pope died on the morning of April 21 after suffering a stroke and a heart attack. Hours earlier, on Easter Sunday, he made a surprising appearance in St. Peter’s Square, thanks to the support and care of Strappetti. The papal motorcade in front of about 35,000 faithful became his last public appearance.
Before that moment, Francis had gone through a long episode of double pneumonia that kept him hospitalized for 38 days.
Against the advice of the doctors, the pope decided to go out to the square to meet with the faithful. According to Vatican sources, it was Strappetti who gave him the go-ahead after the pope asked him, “Do you think I can do it?”. The affirmative response was enough for the Pontiff to muster the courage for that final outing.
A bond built in adversity
The relationship between Francis and Strappetti was consolidated starting in 2021, when the pope underwent a colon operation.
According to the pontiff himself, it was his medical assistant who convinced him to undergo the surgery. Since then, Strappetti was officially appointed as his “personal health assistant,” a title unprecedented in the history of the Vatican.
Strappetti stayed by the pontiff’s side at all times, accompanying him on his travels, overseeing his physical and emotional state, and acting as a constant link between medical needs and Pope Francis’s pastoral responsibilities. Various media outlets describe him as a confidant, beyond his medical role, with a deep understanding of the pope’s character and priorities.
In his last public appearances, Francis was always accompanied by him.
A silent and close farewell
Francis’s last day passed normally. According to information released by the Vatican News portal, he shared a quiet dinner and rested during the night. At 5:30 am on Monday, symptoms of a sudden illness began, and an hour later he fell into a coma. It was at that moment that, according to witnesses, the pope said goodbye to Strappetti with a wave of the hand.
The Vatican press assured that the Pontiff did not suffer and that his death was quick. The last public sentence of the pope was precisely addressed to his nurse: “Thank you for taking me to the square.”