Pope Francis was discharged from Gemelli Hospital and returned to the Vatican on June 16, nine days after undergoing intestinal surgery.
The Vatican said that the Pope’s recovery has been smooth, with no complications. Dr. Sergio Alfieri, who performed the operation, said: “The Pope is well. He’s better than before.”
On his return trip to the Vatican, the Pope stopped at the basilica of St. Mary Major, to pray before the icon of the Virgin Mary—as he has done after each of his foreign trips, and as he did after his earlier operation to remove a portion of his intestine.
The Pope joked with reporters as he left the hospital, commenting: “I’m still alive.”
The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Francis will make his regular Sunday Angelus audience on June 18. However, he will not hold a mid-week audience next Wednesday, to avoid strain as his recovery continues.