Pope Francis Names New Personal Physician Ahead of US & Cuba Trip

The Vatican recently announced Pope Francis' new personal physician.

On Saturday, the Vatican said that Dr. Fabrizio Soccorsi is taking over as the pope's doctor, Fox News Latino reported.

Soccorsi specialized in internal medicine and was the former chairman of the hepatology department at the San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital in Rome, Italy, the news outlet added. He taught immunology at the Rome Medical School and in Italy's Lazio Region, is an adviser of Health and Hygiene for the Governorate of Vatican City, and is an expert on the Medical Committee for the Congregation of the Causes of Saints, Catholic News listed.

Soccorsi graduated from Rome's La Sapienza University with a degree in Medicine and Surgery in 1968, the news outlet wrote. He's taking ongoing classes on liver diseases at San Camillo.

Pope Francis' former doctor, Patrizio Polisca, was dropped from his term at the end of May, leaving the position vacant as of Aug. 1, Catholic News noted. Although he's no longer the pope's personal physician, Polisca will still serve as Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI's doctor, as well as the president of the medical commission for the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

The selection of the pontiff's new doctor comes before his trip to the U.S. and Cuba, Fox News Latino wrote. Soccorsi will join Pope Francis on his Sept. 19-28 visit abroad.

Pope Francis, 78, has had part of a lung removed. He strayed from tradition by "not naming the new director of the Vatican health care services as his physician," the news outlet took note.

Pope's U.S. Visit a Challenge for Political Bodies

Pope Francis' U.S. visit includes a visit to the Capitol on Sept. 24, making him the first leader of the Catholic Church to ever address a joint meeting of Congress. He will also make an appearance on a West Front balcony to meet the public, Huffington Post reported.

The pope's remarks in his upcoming U.S. visit are expected to make an impact on Democrats and Republicans, the news outlet added. His past statements on social justice, immigration, and climate change go with the Democrats' stance, while his teachings about the Catholic Church's traditional resistance to abortion are more in line with the Republicans.

There are expectations that Pope Francis will address unchecked capitalism, which he condemned in his speech in Bolivia last month. It's highly possible that his upcoming U.S. visit will "send a similar message to lawmakers representing the richest nation on earth,' the news outlet added.

In April, a top adviser of Pope Francis paid a visit to Washington and said that the pontiff will speak "frankly but friendly" in his U.S trip, Huffington Post reported.