In his first tweet acknowledging his illness, Francis said:"I am touched by the many messages received in these hours and I express my gratitude for the closeness and prayer."
After his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, the pontiff was taken to the hospital to undergo a number of tests. Earlier in the day, the Vatican had said that the visit and tests were planned. Vatican sources told CNN Thursday that Pope Francis"slept well" during his first night in the hospital.
"In wishing the Holy Father a speedy recovery, the Presidency entrusts to the Lord the doctors and medical staff who, with professionalism and dedication, care for him and all patients," it added. Francis also suffers from diverticulitis, a common condition that can cause the inflammation or infection of the colon. In 2021, he had surgery to remove part of his colon.
"I have already signed my renunciation. The Secretary of State at the time was Tarcisio Bertone. I signed it and said: 'If I should become impaired for medical reasons or whatever, here is my renunciation,'" Francis was quoted as saying, adding that this was the first time he had spoken publicly about the letter's existence.