The organization of the universal Catholic Church has a precise hierarchy, but there is no such thing as a “vice pope,” who steps in when the reigning pontiff is traveling abroad, ill or under anesthesia.
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The organization of the universal Catholic Church has a precise hierarchy, but there is no such thing as a “vice pope,” who steps in when the reigning pontiff is traveling abroad, ill or under anesthesia.
As the world prays for Pope Francis to enjoy a full recovery following his colon surgery, doctors are busy explaining symptomatic stenotic diverticulitis, the condition afflicting the 84-year-old pontiff.
Pope Francis is currently recovering from colon surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, also known as “the pope’s hospital” or “the third Vatican” given some of its more high-profile patients over the years.
The second morning after undergoing colon surgery, Pope Francis was continuing to recover well and, after a restful night, he had breakfast, read the newspapers and got out of bed to walk, the Vatican press office said July 6.
As Pope Francis recovers over the next week in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital from surgery for colon diverticulitis, this seems an apt moment to lay out the nature and trajectory of the disease such a situation inevitably involves.
Pope Francis was hospitalized July 4 and underwent surgery on his sigmoid colon, the lowest part of the large intestine, the Vatican press office said. “The Holy Father reacted well to the surgery, which was conducted under general anesthesia,” the press office said in a note issued just before midnight.
The Vatican confirmed on July 4 that Pope Francis was taken to A. Gemelli Policlinic in Rome for a scheduled surgery for symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon.
After a day of prayer and reflection with Lebanon’s Christian leaders, Pope Francis urged political leaders in the country to set aside partisan interests that have devastated the country.
“Abana alathie,” Pope Francis intoned in Arabic as he led nine Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant leaders from Lebanon in praying the Lord’s Prayer before St. Peter’s tomb.
God loves all his children, “each and every one,” Pope Francis said in a letter Jesuit Father James Martin read to people participating in the Outreach LGBTQ Ministry webinar.