Pope Francis arrives at Vatican 10 days after surgery
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Pope Francis arrives at Vatican 10 days after surgery
Alessandra Tarantino
FILE - In this July 11, 2021 file photo, Pope Francis appears on a balcony of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, where he is recovering from intestinal surgery, for the traditional Sunday blessing and Angelus prayer. Pope Francis left the hospital Wednesday, July 14, 2021, to continue his convalescence at the Vatican.
Alessandra Tarantino
FILE - In this July 11, 2021 file photo, Pope Francis appears on a balcony of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, where he is recovering from intestinal surgery, for the traditional Sunday blessing and Angelus prayer. Pope Francis left the hospital Wednesday, July 14, 2021, to continue his convalescence at the Vatican.
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Pope Francis arrives at Vatican 10 days after surgery
Domenico Stinellis
Pope Francis leaves the hospital on his Ford, 10 days after undergoing planned surgery to remove half his colon Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Francis had half of his colon removed for a severe narrowing of his large intestine on July 4, his first major surgery since he became pope in 2013.
Domenico Stinellis
Pope Francis leaves the hospital on his Ford, 10 days after undergoing planned surgery to remove half his colon Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Francis had half of his colon removed for a severe narrowing of his large intestine on July 4, his first major surgery since he became pope in 2013.
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Pope Francis arrives at Vatican 10 days after surgery
Riccardo De Luca
Media wait outside the Vatican, as Pope Francis left the hospital on his Ford, 10 days after undergoing planned surgery to remove half his colon Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Francis had half of his colon removed for a severe narrowing of his large intestine on July 4, his first major surgery since he became pope in 2013.
Riccardo De Luca
Media wait outside the Vatican, as Pope Francis left the hospital on his Ford, 10 days after undergoing planned surgery to remove half his colon Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Francis had half of his colon removed for a severe narrowing of his large intestine on July 4, his first major surgery since he became pope in 2013.
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Pope Francis arrives at Vatican 10 days after surgery
Riccardo De Luca
Media wait outside the Vatican, as Pope Francis left the hospital on his Ford, 10 days after undergoing planned surgery to remove half his colon Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Francis had half of his colon removed for a severe narrowing of his large intestine on July 4, his first major surgery since he became pope in 2013.
Riccardo De Luca
Media wait outside the Vatican, as Pope Francis left the hospital on his Ford, 10 days after undergoing planned surgery to remove half his colon Wednesday, July 14, 2021. Francis had half of his colon removed for a severe narrowing of his large intestine on July 4, his first major surgery since he became pope in 2013.
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis arrived at the Vatican after he was discharged from a Rome hospital Wednesday, 10 days after intestinal surgery to remove half of his colon.
The Ford car carrying Francis stopped briefly at the side entrance to Vatican City. Francis emerged from the passenger seat with the aid of a bodyguard to greet some security guards standing outside.
He then got back in the car and proceeded to enter the Vatican through the Perugino Gate.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis was seen leaving the hospital on Wednesday, 10 days after undergoing planned surgery to remove half his colon.
Associated Press journalists saw a car carrying Francis, 84, leaving Rome’s Gemelli Polytechnic hospital Wednesday morning. He was sitting in the front passenger seat.
Francis had half of his colon removed for a severe narrowing of his large intestine on July 4, his first major surgery since he became pope in 2013. It was a planned procedure, scheduled for early July when the pope’s audiences are suspended anyway and Francis would normally take some time off.
Francis will have several more weeks to recover before beginning to travel again in September. There are plans for him to visit Hungary and Slovakia in a Sept. 12-15 trip, and then make a quick stop in Glasgow, Scotland, in November to participate in the COP26 climate conference. Other possible trips are also under review.
The Vatican had originally said Francis could be discharged last weekend, but later said he would stay a few days extra for further recovery and rehabilitation therapy.
The pope appeared for the first time in public since the surgery on Sunday, looking in good form as he delivered his weekly prayer from the 10th floor hospital balcony, surrounded by young cancer patients. He used the occasion to call for free health care for all.
On Tuesday afternoon, the eve of his release, he visited the pediatric cancer ward, which is located on the same floor as the papal hospital suite.
The Argentine pope had part of one lung removed when he was a young man but has otherwise enjoyed relatively robust health.
