Pope Francis gave the Sunday Angelus prayer from the window of his study on July 4, 2021. He has been touched by the messages of support he got because of his operation, the Vatican said, and also confirmed that his condition is improving.
Spokesman Matteo Bruni said the 84-year-old pontiff is eating and is no longer getting “infusion therapy”, which means to administer drugs intravenously.
“Pope Francis is touched by the many messages and the affection received in these days, and expresses his gratitude for the closeness and prayer,” he said.
The pope had a three-hour operation on Sunday for what the Vatican reported as symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon.
“The postoperative progress of His Holiness Pope Francis continues to be regular and satisfactory,” Bruni said in his daily media update.
“The Holy Father has continued to eat regularly and infusion therapy has been suspended.” Tests confirmed “a severe diverticular stenosis with signs of sclerosing diverticulitis”, he added.
Diverticula are small bulges or pockets that happen in the lining of the intestine. They appear when they become inflamed or infected.
Sclerosis is the hardening of the tissue. On Monday, Bruni said the pope would stay in Rome’s Gemelli hospital for around seven days unless there were complications.