The surgeon who operated on Francis to treat a painful abdominal hernia said the 86-year-old pope was likely to remain hospitalized for at least five days.

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 is resting comfortably after a three-hour surgery on his abdominal wall where he did not face complications, the Vatican said on Thursday.

Pope Francis has spent a peaceful night in the hospital after undergoing a successful three-hour operation to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair an abdominal hernia. (AP Video: Paolo Santalucia)

Pope Francis awoke Thursday after 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, problems that developed following previous surgeries.

The Vatican said that Pope Francis' recovery is going well after a 3-hour-long surgery to repair a hernia in his abdominal wall. The pope underwent surgery in Rome, Italy.

Pope Francis was in good general condition on Thursday morning after his first night in hospital following abdominal surgery, had rested well and the results of the first post-operation tests were good,