Pope Francis recovers following scheduled surgery

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis on Sunday made his first public appearance since major intestinal surgery last week, greeting well-wishers as he stood for 10 minutes on a hospital balcony, offering hearty thanks for the prayers for his recovery and calling health care for all a “precious” good.

Francis, 84, has been steadily on the mend, according to the Vatican, following his July 4 scheduled surgery to remove a portion of his colon that had narrowed due to inflammation. But it hasn’t said just when he might be discharged from the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome. On the morning after his surgery, a Holy See spokesperson said his hospital stay was expected to last seven days, “barring complications.”

At first the pontiff’s voice sounded a bit weak as he began his remarks after stepping onto a balcony outside his special suite at Gemelli at noon. But he smiled broadly at those gathered below, including some hospital patients well enough to temporarily leave their rooms to cheer for him.