Editing Pope Leo XIII (section)

==Death==

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| image1            = Leone XIII balsamato.jpg
| caption1          = Pope Leo XIII lying in state in July 1903.
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| caption2          = The monument and tomb to Leo XIII in the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran.
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On 30 June 1903, Leo XIII reported slight feelings of [[Indigestion|dyspepsia]] and said that he would take a dose of [[castor oil]] to help himself recuperate, shrugging off concerns about his health. While it seemed to work, and the pope resumed his duties with a renewed vigor, it was not to last.<ref name=IDP/>

Leo XIII originally contracted a cold while taking an outing in the [[Vatican Gardens]] on 3 July 1903; however, his condition rapidly deteriorated to the point that he had contracted pneumonia. That night, he immediately went to bed and lost consciousness.<ref name=IDP/><ref name=LN>{{cite web|url=https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=LFN19030711-01.2.26&e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxCO%7ctxTA--------0------|title=Pope Leo XIII suffering from severe attack of pneumonia|date=11 July 1903|publisher=The Lafayette News|accessdate=7 February 2022}}</ref> Originally, the pope refused his doctor's desire to secure a second opinion from a colleague, insisting on a doctor who had previously tended to him in 1899 when he suffered a previous serious illness.<ref name=TP>{{cite web|url=https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=pilot19030711-01.2.6&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------|title=Pope Leo XIII facing death|publisher=The Pilot|date=11 July 1903|accessdate=10 February 2022}}</ref> When the doctor was immediately summoned to the pope's bedside, he determined that the castor oil had disturbed his stomach and exacerbated his condition.<ref name=IDP/> The pope's nephews were immediately notified of their uncle's illness, as were Cardinals [[Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro]] and [[Luigi Oreglia di Santo Stefano]] in their capacities as the [[Cardinal Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] and [[Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church|Camerlengo]] respectively. On 4 July, the pope made his last confession to Cardinal [[Serafino Vannutelli]] and later was barely able to recite the profession of faith.<ref name=TP/> That same day, he experienced a loss of appetite and suffered from shortness of breath.<ref name=TL/> On 5 July, the doctor reported that the [[Hepatization of lungs|hepatisation]] affected the upper and middle lobes of the right lung, while Leo XIII suffered from considerable cardiac weakness and difficulties in breathing, while reporting the absence of any fever or coughing fits.<ref name=IDP/> That same day, after having received the sacraments, the pope said, "I am now near my end. I do not know if all I have done has been good, but I certainly obeyed my conscience and our faith".<ref name=LAT/>

On 6 July 1903, he was administered an injection to ease the pain that he was experiencing, while it was reported that the pneumonia he had contracted was starting to spread to the left lung. The pope, who had an imperceptible pulse, had a restless night and was given oxygen by his doctors. When given the oxygen, Leo XIII replied, "That is much better. Before I felt as though I had lost my liberty".<ref name=LAT/> That morning, he intimated to those with him that he would prefer it if Cardinal [[Girolamo Maria Gotti]] succeeded him in the next conclave.<ref name=SPG>{{cite web|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90059523/1903-07-06/ed-1/seq-1/|title=Leo forecasts death, expresses desire that Gotti succeed him|publisher=The Saint Paul Globe|date=6 July 1903|accessdate=7 February 2022}}</ref> When doctors ordered him to rest, so as not to further aggravate his declining health, Leo XIII said: "If it were only of any use, but I do not believe it would be. The brief remainder of my life must be given to God's Church, not to my own poor comfort". The pope lost consciousness but was awake to receive the sacraments at 9:00{{nbsp}}pm before experiencing yet another restless night, marveling, "God's will be done. Who would have believed it when only ten days ago I was presiding over a public consistory?"<ref name=SPG/> Leo XIII only slept three hours but severe pain saw him immediately awaken, complaining of pain on both sides of the thorax that forced doctors to move his frail form for better comfort. His situation had previously been critical that afternoon when he was given the Last Rites, while his doctors apprised him of his sudden deterioration. On 7 July, the feeble pope asked that the shutters of his window be opened, saying "I wish to see once more, perhaps for the last time, the rays of the sun".<ref name=TP/> In the nights following, the pope suffered from several coughing fits, perspiring heavily due to his rising fever. The pope felt slightly better enough on 10 July to receive a group of Hungarian pilgrims; however, the pope was exhausted and collapsed after the meeting.<ref name=LN/>

Leo XIII deteriorated further until he died at 3:55{{nbsp}}pm on 20 July 1903, whispering a final blessing before he died. However, Vatican officials gave the time of his death as 4:04{{nbsp}}pm when officials officially confirmed that the pope had died. Officially, Leo XIII had died of pneumonia, followed by [[hemorrhagic]] [[pleurisy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thecatholicnewsarchive.org/?a=d&d=TCT19030723-01.2.8&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN--------|title=Lumen de coelo nunc est lumen in coelo|publisher=The Catholic Telegraph|date=23 July 1903|accessdate=7 February 2022}}</ref>

Leo XIII was the first pope to be born in the 19th century and was also the first to die in the 20th century, living to the age of 93.<ref>John-Peter Pham, ''Heirs of the Fisherman: Behind the Scenes of Papal Death and Succession'', (Oxford University Press, 2004), 98.</ref> He is the oldest verified pope to have served in the office.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oldest pope |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/65279-oldest-pope |website=guinnessworldrecords.com |publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |access-date=18 February 2024}}</ref>{{efn|[[Pope Benedict XVI]] served as "[[Pope emeritus]]" from his [[Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI|resignation as pope]] at the age of 86 to his death at 95.<ref>{{cite news |title=Benedict XVI, First Modern Pope to Resign, Dies at 95|work=The New York Times |date=31 December 2022 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/31/world/europe/benedict-xvi-dead.html |access-date=28 December 2023|language=en |last1=Fisher |first1=Ian |last2=Donadio |first2=Rachel }}</ref>}} There are three other popes that are claimed to have lived longer than Pope Leo XIII: [[Pope Agatho|Pope St Agatho]] (574–681), who died at the age of 107;<ref>{{cite web |title=A look at the oldest popes of history, including Francis |url=https://aleteia.org/2021/12/16/a-look-at-the-oldest-popes-of-history-including-francis/ |access-date=18 February 2024 |website=aleteia.org |date=16 December 2021 |publisher=Aleteia SAS}}</ref> [[Pope Gregory IX]] (1145–1241), who died at the age of 96;<ref>{{CathEncy|wstitle= Pope Gregory IX |volume= 6 |last= Ott |first= Michael |author-link= |short= 1}}</ref> and [[Pope Adrian I]] (700–795), who died at the age of 95.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-01-27 |title=Pope Adrian I - PopeHistory.com |url=https://popehistory.com/popes/pope-adrian-i/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=popehistory.com |language=en-US}}</ref> However, although there is some contemporary documentation attesting to their ages, there is not sufficient evidence for them to be verified with complete certainty; this is due to the poor record keeping typical of the era in which they lived.

At the time of his death, Leo XIII was the third-longest-reigning pope (25 years), exceeded only by his immediate predecessor, [[Pius IX]] (31 years), and [[Saint Peter]] (38 years).

He was entombed in [[Saint Peter's Basilica]] only briefly after his funeral; he was later moved to the [[Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran|Basilica of Saint John Lateran]], his cathedral church as the Bishop of Rome, and a church in which he took a particular interest. He was moved there in late 1924. Leo was the last pope not to be buried in St. Peter's Basilica until [[Pope Francis]] was [[Death and funeral of Pope Francis#Funeral|interred]] at [[Santa Maria Maggiore]] in 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=Popes Buried in St. Peter's |url=http://stpetersbasilica.info/Interior/Sacristy-Treasury/PBlist/PopesBuried.htm |website=stpetersbasilica.info |access-date=5 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-13 |title=The pope says he wants to be buried in the Rome basilica, not in the Vatican |url=https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-basilica-burial-argentina-ba9dc3ccbf4210df16e64d4032451671 |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a | title=Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff who ministered with a charming, humble style, dies at 88 | website=[[Associated Press News]] | date=21 April 2025 }}</ref>