Pope Francis' personal doctor, Fabrizio Soccorsi, has died

Pope Francis' personal doctor Fabrizio Soccorsi has died of health complications related to the coronavirus, according to the Vatican.

The 78-year-old doctor, undergoing treatment for an "oncological pathology", died at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, according to the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.

Pope Francis appointed Soccorsi as his personal doctor in August 2015, after failing to renew the mandate of the papal doctor Patrizio Polisca, who was also head of the Vatican's health services.

Since the pontificate of Saint John Paul II, the two positions had been linked together, but Pope Francis departed from this custom by choosing Soccorsi, a doctor outside the Vatican.

As Francis' personal physician, Soccorsi traveled with the pope on his international travels. During his visit to Fatima, Portugal in May 2017, Pope Francis placed two bunches of white roses in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary for Soccorsi's daughter, who was seriously ill and died the following month.

Soccorsi trained in medicine and surgery at the La Sapienza University of Rome. His career included both medical practice and teaching, especially in the areas of hepatology, digestive system, and immunology.

The doctor also consulted for the health and hygiene office of the Vatican City State and was part of the council of medical experts at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.