As he glided around St Peter's Square in his popemobile on Sunday, the fact he was 88 and had just spent several weeks in hospital somehow seemed a distant memory.
Pope Francis's appearance on the most important day of the Catholic calendar captured the imagination and sparked gushing headlines around the globe.
Medical advice be gone! This was a triumphant return.
Hours later, he was dead — a demise so sudden it surprised even some senior church figures. As one source explained: "We thought it would happen a month ago."
The pontiff was elderly and unwell, and yet — publicly at least — there were signs he may endure.
Recovering from bronchitis and double pneumonia, Pope Francis emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday.
He smiled, waved and blessed babies as the gleaming white vehicle he sat atop rolled past the crowds in Vatican City.
Church insiders told the ABC they interpreted this moment as the clearest indication yet their leader was "OK".
Then everything changed.
Was what looked like a greeting actually a goodbye? And what were his final words? Who was with him at the end?
Italy's media, renowned for indulging rumours throughout the pope's illness, has offered plenty of speculation.
A Vanity Fair feature published shortly after his death pondered the timing.
"He seemed to know. And perhaps, in his heart, he had already decided," it began.
The Vatican's press machine shared intimate details about the Pontiff's last moments, which were spent with his personal healthcare assistant, Massimiliano Strappetti, among others.
Their relationship has been cemented over the past three years, and they're now considered extremely close.
Pope Francis had been anxious about aspects of the Easter Sunday schedule, at one point asking: "Do you think I can do this?"
For someone seldom seen in public since mid-February, the day was particularly involved for the octogenarian.
Vatican officials said the Pope was "presiding" over the church's holy week events which began on April 13.
But which ones he'd actually be at in person was a more complex question.
That didn't mean he wasn't working, though.
On Holy Thursday, for example, Pope Francis visited a prison in Rome and met inmates, but wasn't seen at the official Vatican service that day.
He also pulled out of attending a Good Friday procession at the Colosseum in a seemingly last-minute decision the Holy See press office said was "to preserve his health".
By Sunday however, he was back.
Defying doctors' orders to rest and avoid large crowds, Pope Francis appeared on a loggia overlooking the St Peter's Square for around 20 minutes.
An aide first delivered a message on his behalf, denouncing policies that incited "contempt for the vulnerable, the marginalised, and the migrants".
It was about as subtle as a sledgehammer, given the Pontiff had met with US Vice President JD Vance earlier that day.
Pope Francis has struggled to speak for long periods since his respiratory infections, but to the delight of the 50,000 worshippers below, he exclaimed: "Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!"
His subsequent popemobile ride through the throngs lasted about 15 minutes.
It was the first time he'd used the vehicle since spending 39 days in hospital earlier in the year, and the outing was planned meticulously.
According to the Vatican, Pope Francis's meeting with Mr Vance had been brief; just long enough for the pair to exchange Easter greetings.
The Vice President's motorcade was in the area for less than 20 minutes. He left with three large chocolate eggs for his children.
Mr Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, has been at odds with the Pontiff on migration issues.
In a February letter to US bishops, Pope Francis had said the White House's policy of "mass deportations" went against Christian teachings and had left entire families "in a state of particular vulnerability and defencelessness".
Mr Vance has continued to defend his views.
"Yes, I'm aware that he had some disagreements with some of the policies of our administration ... I'm not going to soil the man's legacy by talking about politics," he said, when asked about it on Wednesday.
The Holy See, in its updates, provided details of what the pontiff's last words were to his close friend, Mr Strappetti.
After Easter Sunday mass had finished, and with his public duties over, Pope Francis turned to his confidant and said: "Thank you for taking me to the square."
He then returned to his Vatican apartment and had a simple dinner before turning in.
He woke at 5:30am the next day, feeling ill.
About an hour later, he waved at Mr Strappetti, and fell into a coma.
Over the course of his health battle this year, the Vatican has published detailed information as to the Pope's condition that has, at times, made for difficult reading.
It was done at his request, and formed part of a push for increased transparency.
The last one it offered, announcing the Pontiff's death on Monday, was a little more dignified.
"Those who were near him in those moments say he didn't suffer," it read.
[Do you have a special memory of Pope Francis? What will you be doing to remember him?]
