Pope Francis Surgery

Pope Francis led Angelus prayers at Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican on Sunday before thousands of pilgrims, just days after undergoing a hernia operation.

Pope Francis left hospital on Friday after undergoing a hernia operation and headed to the Vatican, where his health will be under increasing scrutiny ahead of a busy summer.

The Vatican on Thursday released the first pictures of Pope Francis after his abdominal surgery, indicating that the pontiff was continuing his recovery ahead of an expected discharge in the coming days.

Francis, 86, underwent a three-hour operation at the Gemelli hospital in Rome on Wednesday, and was said to be cheerful when he woke up. His post-operative recovery was proceeding as expected, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis was in good general condition on Thursday morning after his first night in hospital following abdominal surgery, had rested well and the results of the first post-operation tests were good, doctors said.

Pope Francis will undergo an operation for a painful abdominal hernia on Wednesday, reviving concerns over the 86-year-old's increasingly fragile health.

Pope Francis joked that "some people wanted me dead" and cardinals were already preparing to replace him after his colon surgery this summer, according to a media report Tuesday.

Pope Francis is not thinking of resigning and is living "a totally normal life" following intestinal surgery in July, he said in a radio interview broadcast on Wednesday.

Pope Francis was doing well on Monday after surgery for an inflamed large colon, but the 84-year-old was expected to spend around seven days recovering in hospital, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis is doing well following intestinal surgery, the Vatican said on Sunday after the 84-year-old pontiff was hospitalised for the first time since his election in 2013.

Pope Francis was admitted to a Rome hospital on Sunday afternoon for "scheduled surgery" on his colon later in the day, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis led Angelus prayers at Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican on Sunday before thousands of pilgrims, just days after undergoing a hernia operation.

Pope Francis left hospital on Friday after undergoing a hernia operation and headed to the Vatican, where his health will be under increasing scrutiny ahead of a busy summer.

The Vatican on Thursday released the first pictures of Pope Francis after his abdominal surgery, indicating that the pontiff was continuing his recovery ahead of an expected discharge in the coming days.

Francis, 86, underwent a three-hour operation at the Gemelli hospital in Rome on Wednesday, and was said to be cheerful when he woke up. His post-operative recovery was proceeding as expected, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis was in good general condition on Thursday morning after his first night in hospital following abdominal surgery, had rested well and the results of the first post-operation tests were good, doctors said.

Pope Francis will undergo an operation for a painful abdominal hernia on Wednesday, reviving concerns over the 86-year-old's increasingly fragile health.

Pope Francis joked that "some people wanted me dead" and cardinals were already preparing to replace him after his colon surgery this summer, according to a media report Tuesday.

Pope Francis is not thinking of resigning and is living "a totally normal life" following intestinal surgery in July, he said in a radio interview broadcast on Wednesday.

Pope Francis was doing well on Monday after surgery for an inflamed large colon, but the 84-year-old was expected to spend around seven days recovering in hospital, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis is doing well following intestinal surgery, the Vatican said on Sunday after the 84-year-old pontiff was hospitalised for the first time since his election in 2013.

Pope Francis was admitted to a Rome hospital on Sunday afternoon for "scheduled surgery" on his colon later in the day, the Vatican said.