Pope Francis attends the funeral of Fabrizio Soccorsi, his private physician, who died on January 9. The funeral mass was celebrated by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
By Vatican News staff writer
Pope Francis attended the funeral of his personal doctor, Fabrizio Soccorsi, on Tuesday, who died of Covid-related causes on January 9.
According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, during the afternoon, the Holy Father went to the Church of Santa Maria Regina della Famiglia, in the Vatican governor, to attend the funeral of Professor Soccorsi. The funeral mass was celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Parolin.
Dr. Fabrizio Soccorsi, 78, died of complications from Covid-19.
He had been admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on December 26 because of cancer, but died of “pulmonary complications” caused by the new coronavirus.
Soccorsi had been the pope’s personal physician since 2015. He had also served as an advisor to the Vatican’s health services department and a consultant physician to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
During his years of medical service, he had been chief physician of the hepatology ward at the San Camillo-Forlanini hospital in Rome and director of the department of liver disease, digestive system and nutrition; he also taught immunology at local and regional medical schools.