Pope Francis Hospitalized and Public Events Cancelled

Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, has been admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome for previously scheduled health checks, according to a statement from Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni. The 86-year-old pontiff suffers from chronic knee pain that has forced him to rely on a wheelchair in recent months. In July 2021, he underwent an operation on his colon at the same hospital and remained there for 10 days. Last year, he had to cancel or curtail activities several times because of the pain in his knee. Despite his advancing age and health problems, Francis continues to travel widely and is due to visit Hungary next month.