The medical staff looking after Pope Francis considered stopping his treatment so he could die, according to the lead doctor, while the 88-year-old pontiff was hospitalized with a drawn-out respiratory illness.

Pope Francis came close to dying, a doctor involved in his treatment has revealed. The 88-year-old told hospital staff “it’s bad” as they battled to save his life. Pope Francis was discharged from hospital last Sunday,

Pope Francis came so close to death at one point during his 38-day fight in hospital against pneumonia that his doctors considered ending treatment so he could die in peace, the head of the pope's medical team said.