Pope Francis to lead Sunday Angelus prayer from hospital

Pope Francis will lead Sunday's Angelus prayer from the Rome hospital where he is recovering from colon surgery, the Vatican said Friday.

"The Angelus will be recited from the 10th floor of the A. Gemelli University Hospital," spokesman Matteo Bruni said, adding that the 84-year-old pontiff was continuing to improve following last Sunday's operation.

Francis continues to "eat regularly" and has "resumed his work" just five days after the planned surgery for an inflammation of the colon, Bruni said in his daily update.

The Vatican had said Monday that the Argentine pontiff was expected to stay in hospital for around seven days.

Francis is in the same suite on the 10th floor of the Gemelli hospital used by Pope John Paul II -- who also lead the Angelus prayer from there in 1992, before coming to the window to wave to the faithful gathered outside.

The late pope underwent surgery at the hospital a number of times, including after an attempt on his life in 1981, and for a tumour in the colon in 1992.

He dubbed the suite overlooking the Gemelli entrance "Vatican 3", third in line after the tiny city state in the centre of Rome and the papal summer palace at Castel Gandolfo, outside the city.

It was not immediately clear whether Francis would lead the Angelus -- normally delivered from the window overlooking St Peter's Square in the Vatican City -- from his hospital window or live-streamed from inside the suite.