ROME: Pope Francis had a second good night in the hospital recovering from surgery to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the Vatican said

The Holy See press office said early Friday that further medical updates were expected later in the day. The Vatican has said Francis' condition is stable and his post-operative recovery is deemed normal.

The 86-year-old Francis was admitted to the Gemelli hospital on Wednesday for his second major abdominal operation in two years, following a 2021 procedure to remove part of his colon. During the procedure, doctors removed adhesions, or internal scarring, on the intestine that had caused a partial blockage. They also repaired a hernia that had formed over a previous scar, placing a prosthetic mesh in the abdominal wall.

Francis is expected to remain at Gemelli for several days.