Letter #100, 2023, Wednesday, June 6: Pope Francis undergoes surgery in Rome
Pope Francis underwent surgery today in Rome and the Vatican has reported that the three-hour surgery was without complications.
He will remain in the hospital for several days. Let us keep Pope Francis in our prayers for a swift and complete recovery.
Pope Francis: Three-hour long surgery completed without complications (link)
The Pope undergoes laparotomy and plastic surgery of the abdominal wall with prostheses early Wednesday afternoon. Matteo Bruni explains that the hospitalization – the Pope’s third at Gemelli Hospital – will last several days. From his hospital bed, the Pope sent out an invitation, via Twitter, to offer “our trials and sorrows” to God.
By Salvatore Cernuzio
The Pope’s surgery – involving a laparotomy and plastic surgery for the abdominal wall with prosthesis – took place “without complications” and lasted about three hours. The operation took place at the Gemelli Polyclinic in the afternoon of Wednesday, 7 June.
The update on the Pope’s health was provided by the director of the Vatican Press Office, Matteo Bruni, In a statement Wednesday morning, Bruni informed journalists that “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.” Bruni further indicated that Pope Francis will remain in hospital for several “to allow for a normal post-operative course and full functional recovery.”
Pope Francis’ prayer to St Therese of Lisieux
The Pope arrived at Gemelli shortly before 11:30 Wednesday morning in his Fiat 500 L, greeted by a number of people, including journalists, who welcomed him with applause.
Earlier, after two private audiences in the Apostolic Palace, the Pope presided at the Wednesday general audience, taking time after the event, as usual, to greet the faithful and newlyweds present in St. Peter’s Square.
At the beginning of the Audience, the Pope venerated the relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, on the 150th anniversary of the birth of the saint to whom he is particularly devoted. After laying a white rose before the reliquary, he paused for a short period of silent prayer.
Later, in a tweet posted in nine languages on his @Pontifex account, the Holy Father invited the faithful to ask St Therese, “the patroness of missions, for the grace to love Jesus as she loved Him; and to offer Him our trials and sorrows, as she did, so that He might be known and loved by all.”
Pope Francis previously had colon surgery in July 2021. Here he talks with young hospital patients who joined him on the balcony to lead the Angelus at Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Sunday, July 11, 2021. (CNS photo/Vatican Media via Reuters)
Pope admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery (link)
June 7, 2023
Pope Francis is admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital where he will undergo abdominal surgery on Wednesday afternoon. He is expected to remain in hospital for some days to allow for full recovery.
By Vatican News
At the end of the General Audience on Wednesday morning Pope Francis was admitted to Rome’s A. Gemelli University Hospital where he will undergo surgery in the early afternoon.
A statement released by the Holy See Press Office said the Holy Father “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 said.
The Press Office added that the Pope will remain in the hospital for several days “to allow for a normal post-operative course and full functional recovery.”
The Pope’s admission to the hospital follows a visit and consultation with doctors at the same facility on Tuesday afternoon.
St Therese of the Child Jesus
On Wednesday morning the Pope held his regular General Audience in St. Peter’s Square after having venerated the relics of St Therese of the Child Jesus, a saint to whom he is particularly devoted.
In his tweet, on what would have been her 150th birthday, he appealed for prayers “for the grace to love Jesus as she loved Him, the grace to offer Him our trials and our sorrows, as she did, so that He might be known and loved by all.”
Hospitalisation in March
This is the third time Pope Francis has been admitted to the Gemelli Hospital. As we remember, the Pope spent four days in the facility in March when he was treated for bronchitis that had caused him respiratory problems. He was out on 1 April, after a rapid and positive recovery.
Surgery in 2021
On 4 July 2021, the Pope underwent abdominal surgery for a symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon. The operation was performed under general anaesthesia (which, the Pope revealed, had caused him some discomfort) in an overall good health picture for the then 84-year-old Pontiff.
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