Pope Leo XIV delivered his traditional Angelus prayer from the Apostolic Palace on Sunday, October 18, addressing thousands of Catholic faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square—just one day after being discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital and five days after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung.
The 71-year-old pontiff underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung after doctors identified a suspected cancerous nodule. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. His personal physician and surgeon stated he was "deemed fit for discharge from the hospital" based on blood test results, a chest X-ray, and clinical assessment performed Saturday morning. Leo departed the hospital in the early afternoon and returned to the Vatican, leaving sooner than the Vatican's original estimate of a weeklong hospital stay.
During his Sunday address, Leo thanked the faithful for their prayers while he was hospitalized and expressed gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and hospital staff who cared for him following the operation. He reflected on Jesus' teaching "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's," urging Christians to live with integrity and resist hypocrisy. The pontiff said he planned to gradually resume his regular activities with God's help and the continued prayers of the faithful. As he departed the hospital on Saturday, Leo told a reporter in English that he was doing "much better."
Leo's recovery has progressed faster than initially anticipated. Prior to his discharge, the Vatican released the first images of him since surgery, showing him standing at an altar in a hospital chapel in green vestments. He presided alone over a liturgy in the hospital chapel, distributing Communion to medical personnel and Vatican gendarmes present and delivering a homily thanking hospital staff for their work. Medical bulletins indicated he had been able to carry on "normal daily activities completely on his own," and he held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and met with top aides.
Surgery marked the first major health crisis of Leo's 17-month pontificate. The Vatican had announced his health condition publicly last Sunday before the procedure, demonstrating transparency about the diagnosis. Doctors are still awaiting results of additional molecular and genetic testing to determine the precise extent of the disease, whether it has spread beyond the lobe, and whether further treatment such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy may be necessary.
Leo is scheduled to undertake a demanding trip to Latin America from November 6 through November 17, visiting Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. The itinerary includes a dozen flights and two helicopter rides to high-altitude destinations. His surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, told Vatican News on Saturday that the pope appears well enough to proceed with the trip and that Leo has "put his heart and soul into his recovery." Margaritola said he expected the pontiff to recover fully from the surgery "in another 10 days or so." Oncology surgeons generally clear patients to fly after three weeks, provided recovery is on track. The Vatican published the names of journalists accredited to fly on Leo's plane on Friday, signaling the trip is likely to proceed as planned.
