Pope steadily recovering from surgery: doctors

Members of the “gruppo preghiera casa di Maria” pray outside the Gemelli hospital where the Pope is hospitalized, in Rome on June 11, 2023. Pope Francis underwent an operation for an abdominal hernia on June 7 at a Rome hospital, which was completed 'without complications', the Vatican said. The Pope is 'doing well' and 'joking' after surgery, director of the department of Abdominal and Endocrine Metabolic Medical and Surgical Sciences at the Gemelli hospital said. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

(AFP) - Pope Francis's recovery from his recent hernia operation was steady, his doctors said Sunday.

Francis underwent a three-hour operation at the Gemelli hospital in Rome on Wednesday, the latest health procedure for the 86-year-old leader of the Catholic Church.

The doctors said the pope does not have a fever and has completed respiratory physiotherapy.

He had lunch with those assisting him in his convalescence, including doctors, nurses and members of the Vatican gendarmerie.

All papal audiences have been cancelled until June 18 to give the pontiff time to recover, but the pope resumed work from his hospital room on Friday.

Francis was suffering from a hernia on the site of a scar from a previous surgery. Wednesday's operation saw him placed under general anaesthesia as the abdominal wall was repaired with a surgical mesh.

© Agence France-Presse