Vatican: Pope Francis hospitalized for 'scheduled' tests

Pope Francis went to a Rome hospital on Wednesday for some scheduled tests, the Vatican said.

It provided no details, including how long the 86-year-old pope would remain at Gemelli hospital, other than to say the tests were “previously scheduled.”

“The Holy Father has been at Gemelli since this afternoon for some previously scheduled checkups,” read the one-line statement from the Vatican spokesman.

The pope spent 10 days at Gemelli hospital in July 2021 following surgery for an intestinal narrowing. He had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon removed.

He said soon after that he had recovered fully and could eat normally. But in a Jan. 24 interview with The Associated Press, Francis said the diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall, had “returned.”

Vatican: Pope Francis hospitalized for ‘scheduled’ tests

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