Pope Francis taken to hospital for scheduled intestine surgery

Pope Francis was taken to a hospital in Rome on Sunday for a scheduled surgery on his large intestine, the Holy See press office confirmed.

Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See press office, said in a statement that the surgery was for “a symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon,” which refers to a narrowing in the large intestine. 

Bruni said the 84-year-old pope was taken to A. Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome and that Dr. Sergio Alfieri, who is head of the digestive surgery unit, would perform the surgery. 

“At the end of the surgery a new medical bulletin will be issued,” Bruni said.

Several hours before the announcement, the pope was greeting the public in St. Peter’s Square. According to The Associated Press, he had told them he had plans to go to Slovakia and Hungary in September.

The AP reported that only a week ago, Pope Francis had asked the public to pray for him. It’s unclear if his request to have the public pray for him was related to the surgery.

“I ask you to pray for the pope, pray in a special way,” Francis said, according to the AP. “The pope needs your prayers,” he said and gave his thanks. 

“I know you will do that,” he added.

More recently on Thursday, the pope presided over a prayer service at the Vatican with leaders from Lebanon’s Christian churches, the AP reported. Prior to that, Pope Francis had met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Vatican on June 28.