The Vatican says Pope Francis has gone to a Rome hospital for scheduled surgery on his large intestine.

The brief announcement Sunday afternoon said there would be an announcement when the surgery at the Gemelli Polyclinic is complete.

It was the pope’s first known hospital treatment since he was elected to the papacy in 2013.

Just three hours earlier, Francis had cheerfully greeted the public in St. Peter’s Square and told them he will go to Hungary and Slovakia in September.

A week earlier, Francis, 84, had used the same appearance to ask the public for special prayers for himself.

Francis is in generally good health, but did have part of one lung removed as a young man.