Pope Francis will undergo surgery on his intestine Wednesday afternoon and is expected to remain hospitalized under general anesthesia for several days, the Vatican said.

Francis, 86, had 13 inches removed from his colon two years ago due to an inflammation in his large intestine.

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A statement released by the Holy See Press Office said Francis “will undergo a laparotomy and abdominal wall surgery under general anaesthesia.”

“The surgery, decided upon over the past few days by the medical team assisting the Holy Father, became necessary due to an incisional laparocele (hernia) that is causing recurrent, painful and worsening sub-occlusive syndromes,” the statement continued.

The decision for surgery came after Francis visited doctors at the same facility on Tuesday, per Vatican News.

In 2021, a couple months after Francis had the initial colon surgery, he said, “some people wanted me to die,” lamenting premature moves by high-ranking church members to replace him.

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“I know there were even meetings between prelates who thought the pope’s condition was more serious than the official version,” Francis said. “They were preparing for the conclave [to elect a new pope]. Patience! Thank God, I’m all right.”

Francis has drawn scrutiny from traditional Catholics for statements on social issues such as gay marriage and climate change and for restricting the use of the traditional Latin Mass.

Original Location: Pope Francis taken to hospital to undergo intestinal surgery

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