Pope Francis is said to be recovering well after a "benign" operation for an abdominal hernia on Wednesday.
“The operation was completed without complications and lasted three hours,” the Holy See press office confirmed, with the Pope not expected to suffer from any after-effects after the surgery.
The Vatican leader was said to be "joking around" after waking up from surgery.
He had been hospitalised at Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Wednesday morning after presiding over the general audience in St Peter’s Square.
The Pope is said to resume his ministry after the operation "even if from a hospital bed," according to the Vatican's Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. However, papal audiences have been cancelled until 18 June as a precautionary measure.
