Pope Leo XIV discharged following lung surgery

Hospital Discharge

Pope Leo XIV is set to leave Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon following successful surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his right lung, concluding a five-day hospitalization that began earlier this week. The Holy See Press Office said the pontiff would depart in the early afternoon and return to Vatican City after medical tests confirmed his readiness for release.

Medical Procedure

Doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora said blood tests and a chest X-ray conducted Saturday morning indicated the 90-minute operation performed on Oct. 13 had progressed sufficiently to allow discharge. The surgical procedure removed the lower lobe of his right lung after a nodule was detected, with tissue analysis confirming lung adenocarcinoma, according to the Vatican.

Return to Public Life

Before departing the medical facility, Leo XIV will celebrate Mass in a worship room located on the hospital’s 10th floor. "Tomorrow, he will lead the Angelus prayer from the window of the papal apartment," the press office said, signaling a gradual resumption of public visibility despite the recent health intervention.

The pontiff first announced the medical condition on Oct. 11, when he disclosed that physicians had identified a mass requiring surgical removal. All scheduled engagements through Oct. 20 were subsequently canceled to accommodate the recovery period, though the Vatican characterized the operation as successful.