Pope Francis will deliver his weekly Sunday blessing from the Rome hospital, where he is recovering from intestinal surgery, news agency Associated Pres reported quoting the Vatican.
Francis celebrated Mass, worked and dined with aides as his recovery from intestinal surgery continued with “satisfactory” results, the Vatican said on Saturday.
Francis is walking up in the papal apartment on the 10th floor of Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic, from where he is expected to deliver his weekly noontime prayer on Sunday.
The 84-year-old Pope was admitted to Gemelli on July 4 after suffering a severe narrowing of his large intestine. Surgeons removed half of his colon. In a health update on Saturday, the Vatican said that Francis’ latest blood tests were “satisfactory”.
It also said that the Pope is expected to remain hospitalised at least through the end of the week.
“He is gradually resuming work and continues to stroll in the corridor of the apartment. In the afternoon, he celebrated Holy Mass in the private chapel, and in the evening he dined with those who are assisting him during these days,” a statement from Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
Bruni said that after experiencing first-hand care of doctors and nurses, Francis was thinking in particular of those who “with care and compassion choose the face of suffering.”
