Pope Francis thanked his personal nurse for encouraging him to greet the crowds in St Peter's Square on Easter Sunday, according to the Vatican, which said that these were amongst his last words.
The Argentine pontiff, 88, died on Monday morning from a stroke, less than a month after returning home from five weeks in hospital battling double pneumonia.
"Thank you for bringing me back to the square," Francis told his nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, after what would be his final popemobile ride, according to the Vatican News, the Holy See's media outlet.
The pope appeared exhausted during Easter celebrations on Sunday, but nevertheless greeted the crowd and drove around St Peter's Square cheered by thousands of rapt worshippers.
"Do you think I can manage it?" he had asked Strappetti before taking the plunge.
The medic, in whom he had complete confidence, reassured him.
Francis then spent about 15 minutes waving at the crowd and blessing babies from his popemobile, flanked by numerous bodyguards.
The Pope spent the afternoon resting in his Vatican residence, Casa Santa Marta, and had a peaceful dinner, Vatican News reported.
On Monday, at around 5.30am (0330 GMT), "the first signs of illness appeared," it said.
More than an hour later, he waved to Strappetti from his bed in what the media site described as "a gesture of farewell" before falling into a coma.
Francis was declared dead at 7.35am.
"He did not suffer. It all happened quickly," Vatican News said, quoting people who were with the pontiff in his final moments.
"It was a discreet death, almost sudden, without long suffering or public alarm, for a pope who had always been very reserved about his health."
Francis credited Strappetti with once having saving his life for having persuaded him to undergo surgery for an inflammation in his intestine.
His funeral will be held on Saturday.
What we know following the death of Pope Francis
Pope Francis died of a stroke on Monday at the Vatican aged 88.
His funeral is to be held Saturday in the presence of worshippers and dignitaries before a conclave of cardinals is convened to elect a successor.
Here's what we know about the circumstances surrounding the pope's death and what is to follow.
Fatal stroke
Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14 with bronchitis, which later turned into double pneumonia that almost killed him twice.
He left hospital on March 23 and was due to undergo a strict two-month convalescence period.
But the Argentine made a series of impromptu public appearances, looking increasingly weak.
The Vatican announced his death early Monday morning.
Francis died of "cerebral stroke, coma, irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse", according to a death certificate released by the Vatican.
Lie in state
His body was displayed on Monday evening in an open coffin – which he previously ordered should be of wood and zinc – in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where he lived.
In photos published by the Vatican, Francis was seen wearing his red papal vestments, a mitre on his head and had a rosary between his fingers.
His body is to be transferred to St. Peter's Basilica Wednesday at 9am (0700 GMT) to lie in state.
Funeral
Francis's funeral will take place at 10am (0800 GMT) on Saturday in the square in front of St Peter's Basilica.
The coffin will then be taken inside the church and from there to the Rome basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.
World leaders and faithful from across the globe are expected to flock to Rome to attend the ceremony and pay their respects to the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
US President Donald Trump, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy and France's Emmanuel Macron are among those who said they would attend.
Argentina's President Javier Milei will also attend, according to government sources.
Conclave
The starting date of the conclave, during which 135 so-called "cardinal electors" will choose Francis's successor, is not yet known.
But it should begin no less than 15 and no more than 20 days after the death of the pope, thus between May 5 and May 10.
The cardinals will meet in the Sistine Chapel, a Renaissance jewel adorned with Michelangelo's celebrated frescoes, and hold four ballots a day – two in the morning and two in the afternoon – until one candidate wins two-thirds of the votes.
At the end of each session, the ballots are burned in a stove by the chapel, releasing smoke above the Apostolic Palace as the world watches.
If black smoke billows from a chimney overlooking St Peter's Square, the vote has been unsuccessful.
White smoke signals a new pope has been elected.
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