Hospitalized Pope Francis follows Mass on TV, lunches with medical personnel and aides

By FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has followed his doctors’ advice and skipped his customary Sunday noon public blessing as he convalesces from abdominal surgery. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement that the pope followed Mass on television in the morning, then prayed the noon prayer privately in a small chapel area of his private apartment in a Rome hospital. Francis then had lunch with doctors, nurses and other medical staff, as well as and members of his Vatican security detail. On Saturday, his surgeon told reporters that Francis had been advised to skip the exertion of delivering the traditional blessing and commentary from a balcony down the corridor from his hospital room.