Pope Francis, 86, to have abdominal surgery

Pope Francis will have surgery on his abdomen on Wednesday afternoon at Rome's Gemelli hospital.

He is expected to stay in hospital for "several days" to recover from the hernia operation, the Vatican said.

The hernia is "causing recurrent, painful and worsening" symptoms, added Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.

The 86-year-old has faced a series of health issues in recent years, and uses a cane and a wheelchair due to a persistent knee ailment.

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