Pope Francis prayed with a crowd of hundreds in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, two days after he was discharged from a Rome hospital, giving thanks for the “closeness” he had felt throughout his hospitalization for stomach surgical procedure.

A thunderous cheer together with scattered calls of “Viva il papa!” — Italian for “Long live the pope!” — greeted the pontiff when he appeared at a window within the Apostolic Palace, from the place he addresses the trustworthy on Sundays. Before reciting the Angelus prayer and a blessing, Francis, 86, expressed “gratitude” for the “affection, care and friendship” that he had felt throughout his hospitalization.

“This human closeness and spiritual closeness were of great help and comfort to me,” he added. “Thank you all.”

Some 15,000 gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday below a scorching solar, in response to the Vatican authorities.

“For me, it was very emotional,” mentioned Alexa Lopez, a missionary for the Neocatechumenal Way, a Roman Catholic religion formation group, who had traveled with a bunch from Miami. She mentioned that she had been “very happy to see the pope and the courage that he has to come and give us the good news of God’s love in spite of his health, in spite of his age, in spite of all the difficulties that he has.”

On June 7, Francis underwent surgery below normal anesthesia on what is called an incisional hernia, usually the consequence of earlier operations, that had been inflicting painful intestinal blockages. He spent 9 days on the Policlinico A. Gemelli hospital in Rome and was discharged on Friday. Doctors have cautioned him to take it simple in coming weeks to strive to make sure a full restoration.

Large screens at St. Peter’s Square introduced {that a} normal viewers on Wednesday could be canceled. The Vatican mentioned in a press release on Friday that the choice had been made “to safeguard the Holy Father’s post-surgery recovery.”

Francis is scheduled to go to Portugal from Aug. 2 to Aug. 6 to take part in World Youth Day occasions, after which Mongolia from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4. Sergio Alfieri, the surgeon who operated on him, advised reporters on Friday morning that the pope would be capable of deal with the journeys “better than before” as a result of “he’s a stronger pope” after present process the process.

Father Andrea Vignati, a Rome-based priest who was in St. Peter’s on Sunday, mentioned he thought the pope “sounded a little fatigued, but I think that’s normal after an operation like the one he went through.” Angela Spera, who works for a automotive rental firm, and was visiting from Rieti, about an hour’s drive north of Rome, mentioned the pontiff’s demeanor was reassuring. “He always seems serene, so people don’t worry,” she mentioned.

Francis on Sunday additionally supplied prayers for the victims of the shipwreck off Greece this previous week, “I implore that always, everything is done to avoid similar tragedies,” he mentioned. And he prayed for the victims of a “brutal attack” on a school in western Uganda the place not less than 37 died.

“Let’s pray for peace” there, he mentioned, in addition to in “tortured Ukraine.”

Melissa Paruolo, a trainer from Oklahoma, mentioned that she had been “overwhelmed” seeing the pope. “It was an amazing experience,” she mentioned. The pope appeared a bit breathless, she famous, “but he seemed very happy to be back and speaking to people.”