The pontiff is expected to be in the hospital recovering for several days.
June 7, 2023, 4:54 AM
ROME and LONDON — Pope Francis will undergo an intestinal surgery on Wednesday and spend several days in the hospital recovering, Vatican officials said.
After his general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, the pontiff went to Gemelli hospital in Rome, “where in the early afternoon he will undergo a Laparotomy and abdominal wall plastic surgery with prosthesis under general anaesthesia,” Matteo Bruni, director of the press office for The Holy See, said in a statement in Italian.
A car carrying Pope Francis arrives at the Gemelli Hospital where he is due to undergo the abdominal surgery, in Rome, Italy, June 7, 2023.
Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
The surgery was arranged within the last few days, the Vatican said. He’s expected to stay in the hospital for several days to make a full recovery.
The 86-year-old pontiff spent three days in the hospital in March after he complained he was having difficulty breathing.
Pope Francis pays tribute to the relic of Saint Therese of Lisieux during the weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, June 7, 2023.
Yara Nardi/Reuters
The pontiff’s March hospital stay had gone well “with normal medical progress,” as he recovered from bronchitis, Vatican officials said at the time.
A carabinieri vehicle is parked outside the Gemelli Hospital where Pope Francis is due to undergo medical check-ups, in Rome, Italy, June 7, 2023.
Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
Francis often uses a wheelchair or cane during public events, including when he presided over the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, his retired predecessor, in January.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
