Pope Francis is in hospital for a previously scheduled examination

• Pope Francis has been in the Gemelli Hospital in Rome since noon today
• He suffers from diverticulitis, a condition that can inflame or infect the colon

Pope Francis went to Gemelli Hospital in Rome for a previously scheduled examination, said Pope Matteo Bruni, in a brief statement on Wednesday.

The pope, 86, earlier today took part in the weekly public audience and appeared to be in good health.

Pope Francis suffers from diverticulitis, a condition that can affect or inflame the colon, and he had surgery in 2021 to remove part of his colon.

The pope has sparked debate about his future in the post after a number of comments emerged suggesting he might be considering stepping down at some point.

Earlier this year, Pope Francis said the condition had returned and that it was causing him to gain weight, but he wasn’t overly concerned.

He did not elaborate.

He also has a problem with his knee and alternates between using a cane and a wheelchair in his public appearances.

Francis told Reuters in an interview last year that he would prefer not to have surgery on his knee because he did not want a repeat of the long-term negative side effects of anesthesia he suffered after the 2021 operation.

The pope said earlier this month that he could step down if he becomes too tired to continue in the role.

In response to a question from Italian media, what might lead him to resign? And the Pope warned of “fatigue that makes you not see things clearly … a lack of clarity when it comes to knowing how to assess situations.”

He said he was “a little shy” about using a wheelchair due to a knee injury.

‘I’m old,’ he told RSI. I have less physical resistance, knee [problem] It was a physical humiliation, even if the recovery was going well now.

Last month, the pope said that papal resignations must occur in exceptional circumstances, and said the resignations are not ongoing [his] agenda’.

Pope Francis has headed the Catholic Church since March 2013, and he recently celebrated ten years of his papacy.

In January, the pope also fueled speculation that he might one day soon step down from office when he delivered a sermon on “the virtue of stepping down in due time” and “learning to take our leave.”

Jorge Mario Bergoglio would be the second to step down in just over six centuries if he did quit.

Only five popes have them.”VerifiableHe has renounced office throughout history, with others disputed.

The last of them was Benedict XVI, who resigned in 2013 and He said He was motivated by his failing health due to old age.

Contemporary popes are generally expected to hold office until their death.