Pope Francis Pope Francis the head of the Catholic Church, the bishop of Rome, and sovereign of the Vatican City State has undergone abdominal surgery "without complications", the Vatican says.

The hernia operation at Rome's Gemelli Hospital lasted three hours. The 86-year-old is expected to stay in hospital for several days to recover.

All of his commitments for the next 10 days have been canceled as a "precautionary measure".

The Pope has faced a series of health issues in recent years and uses a cane and a wheelchair.

In a statement, the Vatican said the pontiff's medical team had decided in recent days that surgery was needed.

Earlier on Wednesday, Pope Francis carried out his weekly audience as normal and did not mention his planned operation.

The Pope was at the same Rome hospital on Tuesday for a scheduled check-up, months after he was taken to hospital with bronchitis.

He spent three days in hospital in March to treat a lung infection.

In 2021, Pope Francis spent 10 days in hospital after having a part of his colon removed.

Last month, he pulled out of his Friday audiences due to a fever.

But while his predecessor Benedict XVI quit in 2013, the Pope dismissed the possibility of leaving office too.

"You don't run the Church with a knee but with a head," he is said to have told an aide last year.

The Pope is considered to have been in general good health during his decade leading the Catholic Church

He continues to maintain a busy schedule, and is due to visit Portugal and Mongolia from August.

Get well soon