Pope Francis’ recovery from an operation for an incisional hernia on June 7 has “progressed in a regular way,” and he will be discharged from hospital and return to the Vatican on Friday morning, June 16.

Pope Francis’ recovery from the operation for an incisional hernia is “progressing well,” but on the advice of his doctors, he will not recite the midday Angelus in public from Gemelli Hospital on Sunday.

Rome’s Gemelli hospital shared photographs of some drawings, cards and crafts that children and young adults recovering in its pediatric oncology ward had sent to Pope Francis during his recovery.

Four children from Bambino Gesú Children’s Hospital in Rome sent a colorful drawing to the pope, depicting him in a hospital bed, with the message, “Do not be afraid, we are with you!”

“Pope Francis is alert and conscious and [sends] thanks for the many messages of closeness and prayers that have reached him immediately,” said Dr. Sergio Alfieri.

"The surgery on the pope has finished,” the Vatican press office said in a statement on the evening of June 7. “It was done without complications, and lasted three hours.”

Because his check-up was on Tuesday, a day on which he normally does not have any audiences in the Vatican, it seems reasonable to say the visit was scheduled in advance.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi has begun a two-day peace mission in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, today, “as the envoy of the Holy Father Francis,” the Vatican announced on June 5.

According to many in the Vatican, Archbishop Gänswein’s tell-all book published shortly after Benedict’s death revealed a lack of trustworthiness, loyalty and reserve on the part of a man who was meant to be serving two popes.

Sister Lucía Caram, an Argentinian nun living in Spain, has made 18 journeys to the war-torn country over the past 15 months, usually bringing humanitarian aid and returning home with refugees or wounded soldiers.