Surgery on pope was successful, doctors say he can travel

Pope Francis greets a nun during the weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, June 7, 2023. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

ROME (Reuters) -Pope Francis underwent a three-hour operation in a Rome hospital on Wednesday to repair a hernia, which doctors said was successful enough that he should have no limitations on his travels and other activities after he recovers.

"He even joked with me about when we would do the third operation," said chief surgeon Doctor Sergio Alfieri, who carried out a first abdominal operation on Francis in 2021.