Pope Francis returns to Vatican 10 days after surgery Associated Press Pope Francis was discharged from a Rome hospital and returned home to the Vatican on Wednesday, 10 days after undergoing surgery to remove half his colon. Francis, 84, stopped at St. Mary Major Basilica to give thanks for the success of the operation and pray for others before returning home, the Vatican said. The pope always visits the basilica after a foreign trip to pray at a beloved icon of the Virgin Mary. Francis rode in the passenger seat of the Ford sedan, which left Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic around 10:45 a.m. (0845 GMT; 4:45 a.m. EDT).