Pope Francis is “in good condition” after colon surgery and will remain hospitalized for 7 days

Pope Francis “is in good condition” after the colon operation on Sunday, and he must remain hospitalized “for at least 7 days” at the Gemelli Polyclinic hospital in Rome, the Vatican reported Monday.

The 84-year-old pontiff, who reacted well to general anesthesia, “is in good general condition, alert and breathing spontaneously,” according to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, in his first medical bulletin of the day on health of Papa.

“A hospital stay of about 7 days is expected, except complications”, Bruni specified.

Pope Francis underwent diverticular stenosis surgery on Sunday afternoon that involved “a left hemicolectomy,” a surgical intervention that lasted three hours, the papal spokesman assured.

Francis was admitted to the Gemelli hospital from the Italian capital, where he underwent a “planned surgery” for colon pain, according to the Holy See on Sunday.

Surgery was decided to reduce the problems caused by diverticula, which are small hernias in the wall of the colon, a problem that frequently increases with age.

The pope arrived unexpectedly around 3:00 p.m. local time (1:00 p.m. GMT) on Sunday by car, without an escort, accompanied by his driver and a close collaborator.

Pope Francis will remain admitted for at least seven days for his recovery in a room on the tenth floor of the Roman hospital, the same room where John Paul II was admitted on several occasions after the attack in 1981 and due to his numerous health problems.

The windows on the 10th floor were closed all night, according to the numerous photographers and videographers installed in front of the hospital.

The Italian head of government, Mario Draghi, was among the first to send a message of closeness to the pope in which he conveyed his desire for “a speedy convalescence and speedy recovery.”

After the news of the operation, hundreds of messages from around the world began to rain on all social networks.

Numerous Spanish and Latin American bishops dedicate thoughts as well as leaders and religious leaders, among them the Venezuelan Nicolás Maduro and the great imam of the Al-Azhar University, Sheikh Ahmed el Tayyeb.

“I ask you to join me in my prayers for the speedy recovery of @Pontifex_es, who yesterday Sunday, after presiding over the Angelus, underwent a scheduled surgical intervention, taking advantage of his vacations”, Spanish Cardinal Joan Josep Omella wrote in a tweet.

The pontiff suspended the general audiences on Wednesdays for the entire month of July and has no official appointments on his agenda until next Sunday, when he must appear at the window of the pontifical palace for the Angelus prayer.

“I do not fear of death”

Born in Argentina on December 17, 1936, Jorge Bergoglio had the upper lobe of his right lung removed when he was only 21 years old due to pleurisy. He also suffers from hip problems and sciatica.

On Sunday noon he celebrated the traditional Sunday Angelus prayer from the Vatican window for the faithful who were in St. Peter’s Square under a blazing sun.

He appeared to be in good physical shape and excitedly announced a state visit to Slovakia between September 12-15, his second overseas trip in 2021 after the one to Iraq in March.

“I do not fear of death”, he had relied on a book of interviews made by an Argentine journalist in 2019. After the lung operation, Francis confessed that he never felt limited in his activities or tired.

In recent years, however, he has canceled some appearances and, occasionally, it is noticeable that he walks with difficulty.