The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis has been admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome for scheduled intestinal surgery, the Vatican said on 4 July.
Pope Francis is said to be short of breath from time to time because a part of one of his lungs was removed following an illness when he was growing up in Argentina.
He was also forced to cancel several engagements in 2014 – one year after he was elected – due to an apparent stomach ailment.