President of Vatican Health Council dies, aged 67

Archbishop Zimowski

The President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers, Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, died overnight at the age of 67 after a long illness.

Archbishop Zimowski was born in Kupienin, Poland, April 7, 1949; and ordained priest on 25 May 1973.

Pope St John Paul II appointed Zimowski bishop of the Diocese of Radom, Poland, on 28 March 2002. He was appointed President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health Care Workers by Pope Benedict XVI on 18 April 2009.

In 2014, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Pope Francis paid tribute to Archbishop Zimowski saying he "lived with a spirit of faith and Christian witness."

"I wish to express my spiritual participation in the mourning taking place within the Dicastery, and while keeping in mind his generous ministry first as the shepherd of the Diocese of Radom [in Poland], and then in the service of the Holy See, I have raised fervent prayers in suffrage to the Lord for his soul, entrusting him to the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland," Pope Francis said.

The Pope said he asked the Lord for the "eternal reward promised to the faithful servants of the Gospel," and granted upon the officials and employees of the Pontifical Council his Apostolic Blessing.

Source: Vatican Radio