Pope Francis’ personal doctor, Fabrizio Soccorsi, has died from health complications related to COVID-19, according to the Vatican.
Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano reports that the 78-year-old physician died at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, on Saturday.
He was reportedly being treated for an “oncological pathology.”
Pope Francis named Soccorsi his personal physician in August 2015, after not renewing the term of papal doctor Patrizio Polisca, who was also head of the Vatican’s healthcare services.
Since the pontificate of St. Pope John Paul II, the two positions had been tied together, but Pope Francis diverged from this custom by choosing Soccorsi, a doctor from outside the Vatican.
As Francis’ personal physician, Soccorsi traveled with the pope on his international trips.
During his visit to Portugal in May 2017, the Pope laid two bunches of white roses before the statue of the Virgin Mary for Soccorsi’s daughter, who was critically ill, and died the following month.
Meanwhile, Francis said he would receive the COVID-19 vaccine in a few days, saying it’s the “ethical thing” to do.
Speaking in an interview with Italy’s Canale 5 Channel on Saturday, he urged everyone to receive the vaccine to ensure that they protect themselves and everyone else.
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