Benedict, 82, smiled broadly and waved to the crowd with his left hand as he climbed into his car outside the hospital in this northwestern Italian town. His right arm hung by his side, the cast hidden by his white vestments.

Surgeons performed a 20-minute operation Friday to reduce the fracture, a procedure to realign the broken bone fragments. The surgery was performed under local anesthesia.

A Vatican statement said the pope fell in his room in a nearby chalet overnight and despite the accident, celebrated Mass and had breakfast before going to the hospital.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

AOSTA, Italy (AP)—Doctors say Pope Benedict XVI will have to stay in a cast for a month after breaking his right wrist in a fall in his chalet while vacationing in the Italian Alps.

Pierluigi Berti, the director of the Umberto Parini hospital in Aosta, said doctors had successfully performed a 20-minute operation and the pope would be released later Friday.

The surgery was performed under local anesthesia to reduce the fracture, a procedure to realign the broken bone fragments.

A Vatican statement said the 82-year-old pope fell in his room in a nearby chalet overnight and despite the accident, celebrated Mass and had breakfast before going to the hospital.
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