Pope Francis is about to undergo surgery for a hernia of the abdominal wall and he is expected to stay in hospital for a few more days after the operation.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Pope Francis, 86, will undergo surgery on June 7 at the Gemelli hospital in Rome with general anesthesia. Bruni added that the Pope's hernia caused the pain and worsened symptoms.
The Pope's hernia may have formed on a scar from a previous surgery. Pope Francis in July 7 performed surgery to treat diverticulitis.
Pope Francis at an audience in St. Peter on June 7. Image: AFP
Pope Francis retains all authority even while he is under anesthesia. “If there are things that need to be decided by the Pope or urgent, the information will be transferred to the hospital,” said Vatican cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Gemelli Hospital is a familiar place for the popes. Pope John Paul II once called this place "Vatican 3", he treated here 9 times, spending 153 days.
Pope Francis is sometimes short of breath, has trouble breathing and is prone to respiratory infections, because he suffered from pleurisy and had to have part of his lung removed when he was 21 years old.
Pope Francis' health has been the subject of much attention over the past two years. In addition to the 2021 surgery, he also suffers from sciatica, which leads to painful leg pains when moving.
Ngoc Anh (Follow AFP)
