Pope Francis departed to a hospital in Rome to undergo scheduled colon surgery on Sunday following a recitation of the Angelus prayers, according to Vatican News.
“This afternoon, His Holiness Pope Francis was taken to A. Gemelli Policlinic in Rome where he will undergo a scheduled surgery for a symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon,” said a statement from the Holy See Press Office.
The pope’s ailment, also called diverticulitis, is a common condition that affects more than half of U.S. adults, characterized by the development of small sacs in the wall of the colon, according to CNN. It can cause bleeding and some discomfort.
The pontiff, 84, appeared in good spirits on Sunday morning, according to the Guardian, reciting prayers and informing the gathered crowd that he would visit Hungary and Slovakia in September. The previous week, he had asked the crowd to pray for him, likely referring to the surgery he is undergoing on Sunday.
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A medical bulletin will be issued once the surgery concludes, according to the statement from the Holy See Press Office.
