Pope Francis has been admitted to a hospital in Rome for a scheduled surgery on his colon, the Vatican has said. The 84-year-old Pontifff had been suffering from symptomatic diverticular stenosis, or restriction, of the colon. It comes just hours after the Pope greeted the public in St Peter's Square for the traditional Sunday Angelus prayer.
The Holy See press office said in a statement: "This afternoon his Holiness Pope Francis went to the Gemelli hospital -Rome- for a scheduled surgical intervention for a symptomatic stenotic diverticulitis.
"Surgery will be carried out by professor Sergio Alfieri.
"At the end of the surgery a medical bulletin will be issued."
The announcement did not state when exactly the surgery will be performed.
Stenotic diverticulitis refers to a narrowing of the large intestine.
Diverticula are small pockets that develop in the lining of the intestine, and typically occurs in older people.
Most people with the illness do not get any symptoms.
The diverticula can become painfall and cause tummy upsets if it becomes infected.
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Surgery to treat the conditions typically involves removing the affected section of the large intestine, known as a colectomy.
Last week Pope Francis used his Sunday appearance to ask the public for special prayers for himself.
He said: “I ask you to pray for the pope, pray in a special way.
“The pope needs your prayers."
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He added:“I know you will do that.”
Such a plea suggests the surgery had been planned for a few weeks.
The Pope has generally enjoyed good health.
He lost part of one lung as a young man because of a respiratory illness, and suffers from sciatica, which makes walking difficult.