ROME (AP) — The Vatican on Thursday released the first images of Pope Francis since his June 7 abdominal surgery, showing him in his wheelchair visiting the children's cancer ward in a sign he is getting ready to be discharged soon from the hospital.
Francis appeared in good health in the images, in which he is seen in the corridor of the pediatric oncology ward of Rome's Gemelli hospital, meeting with children, their parents and medical staff. In one photo, he is shown elsewhere speaking with a couple in a private room, the man in a wheelchair.
The Vatican said on Wednesday that Francis was expected to be released from Gemelli “in the coming days.” When he was hospitalized in 2021, Francis paid a visit to the children’s cancer ward the day before he left and returned to the Vatican.
The 86-year-old pope was admitted to Gemelli hospital on June 7 for surgery to repair a hernia in his abdominal wall and remove intestinal scar tissue that had caused intestinal blockages. Francis in 2021 had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon removed at Gemelli because of a narrowing of the intestine, and had at least two prior abdominal surgeries in Argentina.
He was admitted for three days this spring after coming down with bronchitis, and s imilarly paid a visit to the cancer ward before being discharged.
