(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 7 - Pope Francis had surgery in Rome's Gemelli hospital on Wednesday to repair a hernia that had formed over an abdominal scar.
His audiences have been cancelled till June 18.
Francis was admitted after his weekly general audience in St Peter's Square, said Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni.
Bruni added that the Argentine pontiff would have "a laparotomy and abdominal wall plastic surgery with prosthesis under general anaesthesia" and that his stay in hospital would last for several days. He said that the operation was needed because of an "incarcerated laparocele hernia that is causing recurrent, painful and worsening subocclusive syndromes".
The leader of the Catholic Church spent three days in the hospital from March 29 to April 1 following a respiratory infection and had a check-up there on Tuesday. (ANSA).