Pope Francis on Sunday went to a hospital in Rome to undergo scheduled surgery for symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon, the Vatican announced.

Details: The Pope left the Casa Santa Marta, his official residence, in the afternoon local time. He greeted the public earlier in the day in St. Peter’s Square to recite the Angelus.

• A week prior, Francis had asked the public in that same location to "pray for the pope, pray in a special way," AP reports.
• At the time, he "might have been hinting at the planned surgery," AP writes.

What to watch: The Vatican said it will release a statement once the surgery is complete.