Pope Benedict XVI broke his wrist after a fall in his chalet during a vacation in the Italian Alps. Hospital officials and the Vatican confirmed the accident, and said that he underwent successful surgery Friday.

Tiziano Trevisan, a spokesman at the Umberto Parini hospital in Aosta, said that the operation was performed under local anesthesia and went well. Surgeons operated on the Pope's wrist to reduce the fracture, a procedure which is done to realign the broken bone fragments.

The Vatican also issued a statement revealing that the pope fell in his room in a nearby chalet overnight. Despite the accident, the 82-year-old celebrated Mass and had breakfast before heading into the hospital. Upon arriving at the hospital, an X-ray was done of the pope's right wrist and a fracture was found.

During his five year reign as leader of the Catholic Church, Benedict has been healthy and there have been no reports of medical problems. He has been vacationing at a chalet in the village of Les Combes in the Valle d'Aosta region near the French border since Monday. He is scheduled to be away until July 29, and will make at least two public appearances in the area, including the traditional Angelus prayer on Sunday. Pope Benedict is expected to stick to his schedule, despite the injury.