Pope's recovery going well but will skip Sunday blessing

Pope Francis's recovery from surgery is going well, but doctors advised him not to deliver his Sunday blessing from a hospital balcony so as not to put a strain on his abdominal walls.

Briefing reporters at the Gemelli hospital on Saturday, chief surgeon Sergio Alfieri also said the 86-year-old pope had agreed to doctors' suggestions that he remain there for at least all of next week.

Francis underwent a three-hour operation to repair an abdominal hernia on Wednesday.

Alfieri said that in 2021, the last time the pope underwent surgery at the same hospital, he did deliver his blessing standing from the balcony, but it was about seven days after the intestinal operation.

"Each time he gets out of bed and sits in an armchair puts stress on the abdominal walls. Only three days have passed. We asked the Holy Father to be prudent and avoid the strain (of standing on the balcony)," he said.

He said the pope was taken off intravenous tubes on Friday and on a semi-solid diet. All medical parameters were within the norm, and there were no cardiac problems.