Pope Francis was admitted to a hospital on Wednesday for an operation on his intestine, the Vatican said. The 86-year-old pontiff is expected to spend several days in the facility in Rome after the surgery, which is being carried out to repair a hernia most likely caused by scars from a procedure he had two years ago. The treatment, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, is the third time Francis has stayed in the hospital since he became the first Argentine to lead the Catholic Church in 2013. He has suffered a series of health issues in recent years, having part of his colon removed in 2021 to treat a bowel condition called diverticulitis. Francis said the painful condition had returned earlier this year.