Pope Francis takes doctors’ advice to skip Sunday public blessing as he recovers from major surgery

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In compliance with medical advice, Pope Francis will forgo the routine Sunday public blessing as he recuperates from a significant surgery performed earlier this week, according to his surgeon.

Sergio Alfieri, who performed the surgery, communicated to journalists on Saturday at Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic that blood tests and imaging have indicated that the 86-year-old pontiff’s recovery is proceeding as expected. During Wednesday’s three-hour operation, doctors used general anesthesia to remove painful internal scar tissue from prior abdominal surgeries and repair an abdominal wall hernia. The hernia repair involved the insertion of a prosthetic mesh.

Alfieri mentioned that while the Pope’s recovery has been medically ordinary, any additional physical strain could be dangerous at this stage. This includes actions such as standing up to move to an armchair in order to perform the conventional Sunday noon blessing and commentary via a video link to the public.

Although the Vatican confirmed earlier in the week that Pope Francis had occasionally been sitting up to read newspapers, the weekly noon appointment typically involves the Pope delivering a public speech for around 15 minutes and offering his blessing.

The Pope’s doctors and a trusted Vatican nurse advised him to skip the Sunday appearance, aiming to minimize strain on the abdominal wall to optimize healing of the implanted mesh and repaired muscle fascia, Alfieri said.

Alfieri emphasized the importance of careful recovery in the coming days to prevent the prosthetic mesh from tearing, which would necessitate another operation. He expressed optimism that if the Pope follows the recommended recovery plan, he would return to the Vatican stronger than before.

The pontiff’s health is reportedly stable, having progressed to a semiliquid diet and exhibiting no fever. His heart and respiratory systems are also functioning well for his age, according to his medical team.

In his hospital room, Pope Francis will privately recite the traditional Sunday noon prayer, with Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni encouraging the faithful to join him in prayer. Meanwhile, despite the Pope’s absence, a sizable crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square to promote brotherhood, a virtue emphasized by Pope Francis in his 2020 encyclical.

While the Pope is recuperating in a designated papal apartment at Gemelli Polyclinic, there has been no announcement regarding his discharge date. Surgeon Alfieri expressed a desire to convince the Pope to stay in the hospital for the following week, suggesting that a longer convalescence period in the hospital would allow the Pope to resume his duties more securely and energetically.

The surgical team successfully removed adhesions, internal scarring common after surgery, and repaired a hernia formed over a previous scar during the operation. Post-surgery, Pope Francis is said to be experiencing minimal pain and is on mild pain medication.

Despite the recent surgery, Pope Francis has plans for two international trips in August, one to Portugal for a Catholic youth gathering, and the other to Mongolia, marking a historical papal visit to the country. According to Alfieri, the Pope factored in these trips when deciding the timing of the surgery, indicating his intention to adhere to his travel schedule.

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