Pope Leo XIV was discharged from the Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital in Rome on Saturday, just four days after undergoing surgery for lung adenocarcinoma. He has returned to the Vatican, where he is set to lead the Angelus prayer from the window of his study in the Apostolic Palace this Sunday.
The 71-year-old pontiff emerged from the hospital walking with ease and a smile, greeting patients and faithful followers gathered at the Gemelli's main entrance.
Before boarding the official Vatican vehicle, he paused to chat with a young girl and her family.
The discharge followed a comprehensive evaluation that included blood tests and a chest X-ray conducted that morning, alongside an overall assessment of his clinical condition.
“Based on the results of the blood tests and a chest X-ray performed Saturday morning, as well as an evaluation of his clinical state, it was deemed appropriate for him to be discharged,” stated doctors Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora.
Prior to leaving, the Pope held a midday Mass in a makeshift chapel within the hospital area where he had been admitted since Tuesday, October 13, the day of his surgery.
The operation, lasting approximately 90 minutes, successfully removed the lower lobe of his right lung using a video-assisted technique.
An intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, the most common subtype of lung cancer, as had been suspected from earlier tests.
The tumor was incidentally discovered during routine abdominal screenings. The unique shape of the diaphragm allowed doctors to spot a small mark on the lung bases.
Pope Leo XIV exhibited no respiratory symptoms and announced his surgery publicly during the Angelus in St. Peter's Square on October 11.
During his hospital stay, the Pope engaged in a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, celebrated Mass in the hospital's improvised chapel, and met with his principal aides—a testament to a recovery his doctors described as “commendable.”
Margaritora, a professor of Thoracic Surgery at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and director of the Thoracic Surgery Unit at the Gemelli, referred to the procedure as technically routine yet humanly extraordinary.
“Operating on a Pope was an indescribable, intimate emotion,” he shared in an interview with Vatican media.
Regarding the apostolic trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru scheduled from November 6 to 17, the surgeon was clear: “I see no clinical reasons preventing this trip,” Margaritora asserted, estimating that the Pope would need about ten more days for full physical recovery, leaving three weeks' buffer before the Latin American tour.
Meanwhile, the Pope’s elder brother, Louis Prevost, aged 74, is undergoing treatment in Florida for a relapse of multiple myeloma, adding a personal and challenging dimension to the Pope's family situation. Louis Prevost is facing his own cancer diagnosis while his brother recovers in Rome.
Doctors are still awaiting the final results of tests to determine the molecular and genetic composition of the tumor, assess if it has spread beyond the removed lobe, and decide if further treatment is necessary.
Pope Leo XIV's Health and Upcoming Apostolic Journey
What type of surgery did Pope Leo XIV undergo?
Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung due to lung adenocarcinoma, using a video-assisted technique.
Is Pope Leo XIV expected to continue with his planned apostolic trip?
Yes, according to his surgeon, there are no clinical reasons preventing the Pope from proceeding with his scheduled trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru in November.
How has Pope Leo XIV's recovery been described by his doctors?
His recovery has been described as “commendable” by his doctors, indicating a positive response to the surgery and treatment.