Pope Leo Recovers After Lung Cancer Surgery

Pope Leo XIV has been discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital four days after surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his right lung. The 71-year-old walked unaided to his car and spoke with well-wishers. His doctors reported that blood tests and a chest X-ray showed “steady improvement,” although further tests to determine whether the cancer has spread have not yet been reported. The operation, performed on Tuesday, lasted 90 minutes and involved removing the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican said the Pope plans to deliver the Angelus prayer and blessing in St Peter’s Square on Sunday. His early return to public activity is notable: his schedule had been cleared through 20 October, and photographs released on Friday showed him celebrating Mass and distributing communion in hospital. The article also reports on the Pope’s call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, their first conversation since June 2025. The Vatican said Leo urged “dialogue and peace,” as Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian cities intensify and civilian casualties rise. The Pope separately called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshkiy, a Russian-occupied Ukrainian city under persistent shelling, so residents could be evacuated and receive food and medicine. The BBC had recently reported that some residents were eating garden weeds to survive. The Pope’s rapid discharge may reassure Catholics, but his ability to travel remains uncertain. People close to him say he hopes not to postpone a Latin American trip planned for early November, including a visit to Peru, where he served as a missionary for many years. Whether he will be well enough to travel or need additional treatment is not yet known.

Pope Leo XIV has been shown celebrating Mass at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital in the first images released since he underwent surgery to remove part of his right lung. The Vatican said the operation, performed on Tuesday, was successful and had no complications. Afterward, doctors diagnosed the 71-year-old pontiff with lung adenocarcinoma, confirming that a lung nodule identified before surgery was cancerous. The Vatican had previously described the nodule as well-contained and detected at an early stage, and said Leo had shown no symptoms of infection or illness before the procedure. The images show the Chicago-born Pope in a green robe behind a makeshift altar on the hospital’s tenth floor. He celebrated Mass with medical and nursing staff and thanked them for their service. Doctors reported a steady improvement in his general condition and said a chest X-ray showed good recovery of the operated lung. The Vatican said the entire lower lobe of his right lung was removed to ensure the procedure was radical. Leo is expected to remain in hospital for about a week. While recovering, Leo also called Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge a ceasefire in Oleshky, a Russian-occupied Ukrainian city where thousands have reportedly been cut off from food and water. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, expressed hope that Putin’s participation in the call meant the Pope’s request would be acted upon. The Kremlin said it supported the Vatican’s efforts to help ensure residents’ safety and arrange vital supplies, and that cooperation had been agreed, though its statement did not explicitly mention a ceasefire. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk also called for action, describing conditions in Oleshky as desperate.

Newly released Vatican photographs show Pope Leo XIV celebrating Mass in a chapel at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Hospital, the first images of him since surgery to remove part of his right lung. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Leo presided over the liturgy alone, distributed Communion to medical personnel and Vatican gendarmes, and thanked hospital staff in his homily for caring for vulnerable people and for him personally. The 71-year-old pope was diagnosed with lung cancer earlier in the week and is expected to remain hospitalized until Oct. 20. Vatican officials said he resumed a limited amount of work on Thursday, including reading documents, co-celebrating Mass, and meeting with Archbishop Paolo Rudelli. Doctors reported Friday that tests showed “steady improvement” and that Leo was independently carrying out his normal daily activities. The Vatican also reported that Leo spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the grave humanitarian situation in Oleshky, Ukraine. Leo called for a ceasefire to permit food and medical aid deliveries and the safe evacuation of civilians, and reiterated the Holy See’s commitment to dialogue and peace. He also met separately with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Cardinal Baldassare Reina. The Vatican said he was expected to make his first public appearance since surgery on Sunday, delivering the traditional noontime prayer. A planned Nov. 6–17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru remains on the schedule, though his ability to travel is not certain. The Vatican’s publication of the journalists accredited to accompany him suggested preparations were continuing. The article also describes get-well notes sent by patients in Gemelli’s pediatric oncology ward. Seven-year-old Angelo wrote that he and his mother prayed for Leo, while university-aged Giorgia said Leo’s situation made her feel closer to him because they were both going through similar experiences. She asked him to pray for her as they both hoped to heal.

Pope Leo XIV was discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday, four days after surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung. The 71-year-old pontiff underwent removal of part of the lung after the cancer was discovered earlier in the week. The Vatican has not disclosed his prognosis. On leaving the hospital, Leo greeted people gathered outside, shook hands, spoke briefly with a young woman, and waved from his car as his motorcade returned to Vatican City. Leo had initially been expected to remain hospitalized until October 20. However, he resumed some work on Thursday, and doctors reported Friday that tests showed “steady improvement in his recovery.” His discharge followed blood tests, a chest X-ray, and a clinical assessment on Saturday morning. The Vatican said he would recite the Angelus from the papal apartment window on Sunday. His surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, said there was no clinical reason for Leo to miss a planned early-November trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. The Vatican’s publication of accredited journalists’ names for the trip suggested preparations were continuing. During his hospital stay, Leo celebrated Mass in the hospital chapel, spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the humanitarian situation in Oleshky, Ukraine, and met with two cardinals. Margaritora said the tumor was discovered accidentally during examinations conducted for other reasons, as Leo had no symptoms. He explained that its location at the base of the lung made it detectable, while a tumor higher up might not have been seen. The article reports the discharge and ongoing activities but provides no public information about the pope’s long-term outlook.

Pope Leo XIV left Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Saturday afternoon, four days after undergoing surgery for lung cancer, and returned to the Vatican. The 71-year-old pontiff walked without assistance to his car and briefly spoke to people gathered outside the hospital, telling them, “I am better, thank you.” He arrived at the Vatican about ten minutes later. His doctors said he was well enough to go home after blood tests and imaging scans of his chest. He is currently receiving physiotherapy intended to help him breathe more easily. The surgery took place on Tuesday, when doctors removed the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung after identifying a nodule suspected to be cancerous. The operation confirmed adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. The medical team described the surgery as successful and free of complications, but has not disclosed the tumor’s size or whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. The article notes that these details are important to determining his prognosis. The diagnosis has drawn attention partly because Leo, elected in May 2025, is described as a relatively young and energetic pontiff. His illness has prompted questions about the future of his papacy while he undergoes treatment and recovery. The pope is expected to lead the weekly prayers with pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square at noon on Sunday. If he does so, it will be his first public engagement since the operation.

Pope Leo XIV has left Rome’s Gemelli Hospital after undergoing surgery on his right lung, the Vatican said. The 71-year-old pontiff had been admitted for the operation on Tuesday and was discharged on Saturday after doctors reviewed his condition. The Vatican press office said he would return to the Vatican in the early afternoon and lead the Angelus prayer from the window of the papal apartment the following day. AFP reported that people gathered outside the hospital cheered and applauded as he departed. Doctors approved the discharge after blood tests and a chest X-ray indicated that Leo was fit to leave. The Vatican had previously said surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung after diagnosing pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a cancer suspected from pre-operative tests. It reported that the operation lasted about 90 minutes, with the pontiff in the operating room for around three hours, and that the surgery was successful with no complications. On Thursday, doctors said imaging showed good recovery of the affected lung. The report describes the discharge and the medical updates provided by the Vatican and Leo’s doctors. It does not provide further details about his treatment or longer-term prognosis.

Pope Leo XIV called Russian President Vladimir Putin while recovering in hospital from lung surgery and urged a ceasefire in Oleshky, a Russian-controlled city in Ukraine’s Kherson region. According to the Vatican, the pope expressed deep concern about the city’s severe humanitarian conditions and called for a pause in fighting so food and medical assistance could be delivered and civilians could be evacuated safely and voluntarily. The Vatican also reiterated the Holy See’s commitment to dialogue and peace. The article describes conditions in Oleshky as dire: humanitarian food deliveries have not been permitted since May, electricity, gas and running water are unavailable, and the local hospital is barely functioning. The Kremlin, meanwhile, blamed Ukraine for the situation. It said Putin gave the pope a detailed explanation of what it called the Kyiv regime’s responsibility, while also expressing support for the Vatican’s intention to help protect residents and facilitate deliveries of essential supplies. The call took place as Leo recovered from a procedure to remove the lower lobe of his right lung after a lung cancer diagnosis. The 71-year-old remained hospitalized on Friday, but his doctors reported continued improvement and said he could manage his normal daily activities independently. The Vatican released photographs of him celebrating Mass in a makeshift hospital chapel—the first images of the pope since the surgery. He was expected to deliver the traditional Angelus prayer on Sunday, either from the hospital or the Vatican, and was still scheduled to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru beginning November 6.

Pope Leo XIV was discharged from Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Saturday, Oct. 17, after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous nodule from his right lung. The Holy See said doctors had assessed him that morning and cleared him to return to the Vatican. He was expected to lead the Angelus prayer from the papal apartment the following day. Blood tests and a chest X-ray reportedly supported the decision to discharge him. Before leaving, the pope visited the hospital’s children’s oncology ward, where he had received letters from young patients. One girl, Eleonora, wrote that she and others were praying for him and expressed gratitude that her own health had improved. Pope Leo underwent thoracic surgery on Tuesday. The Holy See said the operation lasted about 90 minutes, was successful, and had no complications; he spent roughly three hours in the operating room. Doctors diagnosed him with lung adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer. After surgery, he awoke normally and returned to his room following a short period of observation. While recovering, the pope called Russian President Vladimir Putin about the humanitarian situation in Oleshky, a Ukrainian city in the Kherson region under Russian control. The Vatican said Leo urged a ceasefire so food and medical assistance could enter and civilians could be safely evacuated. He also reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to dialogue and peace. The article reports that Russia has controlled the city since May and that it lacks electricity, gas, and running water; the local hospital is barely functioning, and humanitarian food deliveries have not been allowed. The report focuses on the pope’s discharge, surgery and diagnosis, while also noting his appeal for aid and a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Pope Leo XIV was discharged from Rome’s Gemelli University Hospital on Saturday, four days after surgeons removed part of his right lung to extract a cancerous tumour. At 71, Leo had been admitted on Tuesday. Doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora said blood tests, a chest X-ray and their assessment of his clinical condition showed that he was fit to leave. The Vatican said he would return to the Vatican and recite the Angelus prayer from the window of the papal apartment the following day. Leo had continued to celebrate Mass in a hospital room during his stay. The article notes that previous popes John Paul II and Francis also delivered the Angelus from Gemelli while hospitalised. Outside the hospital, 12-year-old Varvara Struck, a Ukrainian former cancer patient who had met Leo in Rome the previous year, expressed support for him and hoped he would recover as quickly as she had. Although the pope’s recovery was described as progressing normally, test results were still awaited to determine what further action might be needed. The news of the tumour had unsettled the Vatican and the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. Leo had resumed some work, including a Friday call to Russian President Vladimir Putin urging a ceasefire in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky. His planned November 6–17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru remained uncertain; the article says he is eager to make the journey, having spent two decades as a missionary in Peru, but is expected to follow medical advice. He cancelled all audiences through October 20. Leo had told the public the previous Sunday that a routine examination had found a nodule doctors recommended removing.

Pope Leo XIV is expected to leave Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic on Saturday, four days after surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican said he would return to the Vatican in the early afternoon and deliver the traditional noon blessing from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square on Sunday. The 71-year-old pope’s operation confirmed that a nodule doctors had suspected was cancerous was adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. His physician and surgeon said blood tests, a chest X-ray and an assessment of his condition showed he was fit to be discharged. Leo had publicly disclosed the lung nodule to worshippers the previous Sunday. Since the operation, he has shown signs of recovery: he spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, met with senior aides and celebrated Mass in the hospital chapel. The Vatican also released photographs of him standing at an altar. According to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, Leo presided over the liturgy, distributed Communion to medical staff and Vatican gendarmes, and thanked hospital workers in his homily. The Vatican had initially expected Leo to remain in hospital for a week and had cancelled his audiences through Tuesday. His discharge timing was left to his doctors. The article also notes a planned Latin America trip from Nov. 6 to 17, involving numerous flights and helicopter journeys. The Vatican has published the names of journalists accredited to travel with him, while oncology surgeons say patients are generally cleared to fly after three weeks if their recovery permits. Doctors are still awaiting test results to determine the cancer’s molecular and genetic characteristics, whether it has spread beyond the removed lung lobe, and whether further treatment will be needed.

Pope Leo XIV left Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic on Saturday and returned to the Vatican, five days after surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. Doctors said blood tests and a chest X-ray showed he was well enough to be discharged. He was expected to lead the Angelus prayer from his apartment window the following day, and his estimated postoperative recovery time was about one week. The Vatican had previously said doctors found a localized lung nodule at a very early stage. During Tuesday’s roughly 90-minute, video-assisted operation, surgeons removed more than the nodule itself. Examination of the tissue confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, a common type of lung cancer. The Vatican has not announced whether Leo will need further treatment. The article notes that cancer occurs in his family, though Leo is not known to have smoked. Outside medical experts quoted by NPR described the reported circumstances as encouraging. They said surgery as the initial treatment can indicate early-stage disease, and that removing a larger portion of the lung does not necessarily signal a worse outlook. They also noted Leo’s apparent good baseline health: he exercises regularly, plays tennis, and rides horses. One expert said his prognosis was “very good,” while another said patients often recover sufficiently to travel within about two weeks after minimally invasive surgery. Leo’s public schedule was cleared until at least October 20. His next major trip, planned for early November, is to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. Whether he will be able to make the trip remains uncertain, but the doctors’ comments suggest it could be possible. The article focuses on his discharge, the details of the cancer diagnosis and operation, and the cautiously optimistic medical outlook.

Pope Leo XIV was discharged from Rome’s Agostino Gemelli University Hospital on Saturday, four days after surgery that removed the lower lobe of his right lung. Surgeons initially operated to remove a localized nodule, but found a malignant tumor; the Vatican said he had been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma. Leo told supporters he felt “much better.” The Vatican reported normal routine checks and a good recovery on a chest X-ray, and said he was independently carrying out daily activities, including celebrating Mass and doing physiotherapy. Further treatment, such as chemotherapy, had not been announced. He was released earlier than originally planned, though his audiences were canceled through Oct. 20. He was expected to lead noonday prayer from the Apostolic Palace window on Sunday. The article also considers who would govern the Catholic Church if a pope were unable to perform his duties. Rev. Patrick Flanagan of St. John’s University said church law provides no clear process for temporarily transferring papal authority in cases of illness or incapacity. He noted that the Church’s established responsibilities allow it to continue functioning, even without a specified emergency leader. Leo’s public disclosure of his condition is described as unusual given the Church’s history of keeping papal health private. Flanagan suggested that Leo’s American background may contribute to his preference for transparency, while balancing it with privacy. Leo’s illness interrupted a Vatican summit on marriage and family life marking the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis’s Amoris Laetitia. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle presided at a Mass in Leo’s place, and the pope sent the gathering a message thanking participants and asking for prayers. Other planned engagements include a Villanova sustainability medal presentation, a possible meeting connected to a Villanova–Notre Dame basketball game in Rome, and a November trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. Flanagan emphasized the importance of the South American visit, particularly in light of the large crowds drawn by Leo’s earlier trip to Paris.

Pope Leo XIV called Russian President Vladimir Putin while recovering in the hospital from surgery to urge a cease-fire in Oleshky, a Russian-controlled city in Ukraine’s Kherson region. According to the Vatican, the pope raised the city’s severe humanitarian conditions and called for a pause in fighting so food and medical assistance could be delivered and civilians could be evacuated safely and voluntarily. The Vatican also said he reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to dialogue and peace. The article describes Oleshky’s situation as dire: humanitarian food deliveries have been blocked since May, the city lacks electricity, gas and running water, and its hospital is barely functional. The Kremlin offered a different account of responsibility, saying Putin told the pope that Ukraine’s government was responsible for the humanitarian crisis. It also said Putin supported the Vatican’s efforts to improve civilian safety and facilitate essential supplies. Leo, 71, had undergone a procedure to remove the lower lobe of his right lung after being diagnosed with lung cancer. While still hospitalized, he celebrated Mass in a makeshift chapel, and the Vatican released the first post-surgery images of him. His doctors reported continued improvement and said he could manage his normal daily activities independently. He was expected to deliver the traditional Angelus prayer on Sunday, either from the hospital or the Vatican, and his planned November 6 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru remained on schedule.

Pope Leo XIV is expected to leave Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon, four days after surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican said he was cleared for discharge after doctors reviewed blood tests, a chest X-ray and his clinical condition. The operation followed the discovery of a suspected cancerous nodule and confirmed adenocarcinoma, described in the article as the most common type of lung cancer. The 71-year-old pope is scheduled to give the traditional noon blessing from a window overlooking St Peter’s Square on Sunday. It would be his first public appearance since he was admitted to hospital. The Vatican also reported signs of recovery during his stay: Leo spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, met senior aides and celebrated Mass in the hospital chapel. Images released on Friday showed him standing at an altar in green vestments. At the Mass, he distributed Communion to medical personnel and Vatican gendarmes and thanked hospital staff for their care. Doctors are still waiting for test results that will clarify the cancer’s molecular and genetic characteristics, whether it has spread beyond the removed lung lobe, and whether additional treatment is required. The article notes that Leo plans to visit Latin America from November 6 to 17. The itinerary is expected to involve 12 flights and two helicopter journeys, leaving about three weeks for recovery after his discharge. The Vatican has published the names of journalists accredited to accompany him, suggesting preparations for the trip are continuing.