Pope Francis would want to keep his hospital stay low key, well off both the Holy See and media radar. Early last Sunday afternoon, to the surprise of just about everybody, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had checked into Rome’s Gemelli hospital for a scheduled colon operation. The hospital recovery of 84-year-old Francis made waves, firstly because it took almost everyone, Vatican insiders included, by surprise. This is the first time in the eight years since his election in 2013 that Francis has gone into hospital for an operation. Saint John Paul II actually died 10 years later.

Source: Irish Independent July 11, 2021 01:39 UTC