Pope Francis was recovering well in a Rome hospital on Thursday, the day after the 86-year-old had abdominal surgery that renewed health fears.

Pope Francis underwent abdominal surgery on Wednesday to treat an intestinal blockage, two years after he had a portion of his colon removed because of an inflammation and narrowing of the large intestine.

Pope Francis has spent a good first night in the hospital following a three-hour operation to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall. Doctors say

Pope Francis, 86, spent a good first night in hospital after a three-hour operation in a Rome hospital to fix a painful hernia, the Vatican said Thursday.

Pope Francis was admitted to a Rome hospital for an operation on his abdomen on Wednesday, the latest in a number of health problems for the 86-year-old pontiff.

Pope Francis has gone to Rome's Gemelli hospital for a check-up. Earlier this year the pope, 86, spent five days in hospital with a lung infection and last month had to skip audiences due to a fever.