Pope to skip Sunday public blessing on medical advice

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope would recite the traditional Sunday noon prayer privately in his hospital room (Andrew Medichini/AP)

Pope Francis, following doctors’ advice, will skip Sunday’s customary public blessing to allow him to better heal after abdominal surgery earlier this week, his surgeon told reporters.

Sergio Alfieri, who operated on the pontiff, also told reporters at Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome that blood and imaging tests indicate that the 86-year-old pope’s recovery is proceeding in an “absolutely normal” manner.