VATICAN — Pope Leo XIV has been discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, just four days after an operation to remove a cancerous growth from his lung.
The 71-year-old walked unaided to his waiting car, stopping to speak to well-wishers.
The Vatican said the Pope will give the traditional Angelus prayer and blessing to a crowd in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, as he did last week when he surprised the world by announcing the surgery.
On Friday, photographs were released of the Pope celebrating Mass and distributing communion in hospital for staff.
A statement from his doctors said blood tests and a chest X-ray showed “steady improvement” following his operation.
The surgery on Tuesday, which lasted for 90 minutes, included the removal of the lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung. The results of further tests to check for any sign that the cancer has spread have not yet been announced.
The Pope also spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, in their first call since June 2025. The Vatican said the call was to urge “dialogue and peace”.
It came as Russia’s bombardment of cities across Ukraine intensifies, with a growing number of civilian casualties and no sign of Putin being ready to halt the invasion.
The Pope also called for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Oleshkiy, occupied by Russia and under constant shelling, to allow people to be evacuated and for the urgent delivery of food and medicine. The BBC recently reported on residents there being forced to eat garden weeds to survive.
The Pope’s schedule has been cleared completely until 20 October, so his reappearance in public so soon is a surprise and will be some relief for Catholics around the world.
Those close to the Pope said he was keen not to delay a trip to Latin America, planned for early November and which includes a visit to Peru, where he was a missionary for many years.
It is not yet clear whether he might be fit to travel or require further treatment.
Blood tests and an X-ray early on Wednesday last week showed his recovery was “proceeding normally”, the doctors said, and he has also undergone respiratory physiotherapy.
“After the operation, the Pope awoke normally and returned after a brief period of observation to his room,” it said earlier, before spending a “peaceful night” at the hospital.
The Vatican has stressed that the Pope, who is generally thought to be fit, had no symptoms of infection or illness.
The news has shaken Catholics worldwide, many of whom will have recent memories of Pope Francis’s hospital visits.
Pope Leo’s predecessor, who died last year, also had part of his lung removed in his youth before suffering a series of respiratory infections later in life.
Adenocarcinomas develop in cells that produce mucus and are one of the most common types of lung cancer.
The long-term prognosis depends on a number of things, including the stage of the cancer when identified and the person’s overall health. The earlier it is spotted, the better, and treatments have improved over the last few decades.
Some adenocarcinomas are picked up early – before symptoms develop – during routine tests. At later stages, lung cancer can cause a persistent cough, breathlessness, fatigue and weight loss. (BBC)
