Vatican City-Pope Francis has performed well after undergoing bowel surgery. The Vatican said on Sunday that the 84-year-old pope was hospitalized for the first time since his election in 2013.

Spokesperson Matteo Bruni said in a statement that the pope “reacted well” to the operation. The operation was performed under general anesthesia. The Vatican had earlier stated that the operation was scheduled and not urgent. Caused by circumstances.

He did not provide more details about the operation or how long the operation lasted, nor did he say how long the Pope will stay at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

The Pope entered the hospital early on Sunday afternoon and the statement was issued before midnight Rome time.

Francis underwent surgery for symptomatic colonic diverticulum stenosis. In this case, the sac-like pouch protrudes from the muscle layer of the colon, causing the colon to narrow. The operation was performed by a 10-person medical team.

In addition to causing pain, this condition can also cause bloating, inflammation, and difficulty defecation. It tends to affect the elderly more.

A few hours ago, the Pope addressed thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, addressed his Sunday blessings, and announced that he appeared to be in good health when he visited Slovakia and Budapest in September.

The huge Catholic Gemelli Hospital and Medical School in northern Rome traditionally received the Pope, and part of its 10th floor was permanently reserved for them.

As he does every July, Francis has suspended all his regular and private audiences this month. The timing of the operation seemed to coincide with the period when he had only one public commitment-his Sunday blessing in St. Peter’s Square.

Unlike his predecessor, he stayed in the Vatican and never used the huge papal summer manor on the Monte Alban in southern Rome.

Francis sometimes has shortness of breath because one of his lungs was partially removed due to illness when he was young in his hometown of Argentina.

He also suffers from sciatica, which causes pain that radiates from the lower back along the sciatic nerve to the leg.

His regular physiotherapy conditions forced him to miss a few games at the beginning of this year, and sometimes even caused him difficulty walking.

Last year, a severe cold prevented him from attending a week-long Lent retreat with senior assistants in southern Rome.

In 2014, a year after being elected Pope, Francis was forced to cancel several appointments because he was believed to have stomach problems.

(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Alex Richardson, Kevin Liffey, Nick Macfie, Barbara Lewis and Diane Craft)