Vatican confirms December Pope trip to Cyprus and Greece

FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis arrives to attend the meeting for the ecumenical pilgrimage to Rome, at the Paul VI Audience Hall, in the Vatican, October 25, 2021. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican on Friday officially announced that Pope Francis will visit Cyprus and Greece, including the island of Lesbos that hosts many foreign migrants, on Dec. 2-6, confirming a Reuters report last month.

The announcement of the trip was further confirmation that the 84-year old pope has fully recovered from intestinal surgery in July. It was made as he was paying a visit to thank staff at the hospital where he was operated on.