Pope Francis to undergo intestinal surgery, will spend several days in the hospital recovering

Pope Francis will undergo intestinal surgery Wednesday afternoon, according to the Vatican. He will remain in a hospital in Rome for several days following the procedure.

Matteo Bruni, spokesperson for the Vatican, said the surgery was planned by the pope’s medical team after it became medically necessary due to a hernia that was causing the 86-year-old “recurrent, painful, and worsening symptoms.”

The Catholic News Agency reports the surgery will attempt to repair scarring caused by the pope’s colon surgery in 2021. He is expected to have a laparotomy and abdominal wall reconstruction with prosthetic material.

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News of the pope’s surgery comes one day after it was reported he visited a hospital for a 40-minute visit.

It also follows his four-day hospital stay in March where he was treated for bronchitis.

The pontiff also suffers from recurring knee pain, but after undergoing his 2021 colon surgery he insisted he did not want to recover from general anesthesia so he has chosen to deal with the knee pain by using a cane or a wheelchair during public appearances.

Please join me in praying for a quick recovery for Pope Francis.

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