Pope Francis arrives in Portugal for World Youth Day

Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Pope Francis arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, on Wednesday for World Youth Day, less than two months after the 86-year-old pontiff had surgery on his abdominal wall.

He met Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa along with other officials from the country. He will also meet with Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa at the Monastery dos Jerònimos Wednesday evening.

During the visit with de Sousa, a pair of Portuguese children offered the pontiff a bouquet of flowers.

Pope Francis is expected to stay in Portugal until Sunday.

"As a pilgrim of hope in Portugal, I pray and hope that this young-hearted country will continue to reach toward the horizons of fraternity," Pope Francis said. "May Lisbon, city of encounter, inspire ways of facing together the great questions of Europe and the world."

On Thursday, World Youth Day will hold its opening ceremony where Francis will meet students at the Universidade Catòlica Portuguesa. He will travel to Cascais, near Lisbon, to greet youth at the Scholas Occurentes and take part in ceremonies at Edward VII Park.

On Friday, some young participants will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation from the pope in the "so Impèrio" Square in Belèm. Pope Francis will preside over the Stations of the Cross with young people in Edward VII Park.

The pope will arrive via helicopter at Fatima Stadium on Saturday morning for an event and will celebrate mass on Sunday before returning to the Vatican.

In June, doctors performed a three-hour abdominal wall surgery that forced the pontiff in the hospital for several days.