Pope Leo XIV discharged four days after lung cancer surgery, will lead Sunday prayers
Pope Leo XIV has been discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital, four days after surgeons removed a cancerous growth from his lung.
The 71-year-old Pontiff walked unaided to the car waiting for him and stopped to speak to well-wishers gathered outside the hospital. His early release is a notable development given the nature of the operation, and will bring relief to Catholics around the world who had been following daily updates on his condition.
The Vatican said the Pope will lead the traditional Angelus prayer and give his blessing to a crowd in St Peter's Square on Sunday. He had appeared there last week, surprising many, to announce that he would undergo surgery.
On Friday, photographs were released showing the Pope celebrating Mass and distributing communion to hospital staff.
A statement from his doctors said blood tests and a chest X-ray showed “steady improvement” following the operation. The surgery on Tuesday lasted 90 minutes and included the removal of the lower lobe of the Pope's right lung. The results of further tests to check whether the cancer has spread have not yet been announced. Doctors generally advise a period of rest and monitoring after such procedures, and the Vatican has not indicated what follow-up care he will receive.
The Pope also spoke by telephone to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, their first conversation since June 2025. The Vatican said the call was made to urge “dialogue and peace”. It came as Russia's bombardment of cities across Ukraine has intensified, with a growing number of civilian casualties and no indication that Moscow is prepared to halt the invasion.
The Pope further called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshkiy, a Ukrainian city occupied by Russia and under constant shelling, so that residents can be evacuated and food and medicine delivered urgently. The BBC has reported that residents there have been forced to eat garden weeds to survive.
The Pope's schedule has been cleared completely until 20 October. His reappearance in public so soon after major surgery is therefore unexpected, and is likely to be greeted with relief by Catholic communities worldwide.
Those close to the Pope said he was keen not to delay a planned trip to Latin America in early November, which includes a visit to Peru, where he served as a missionary for many years. It is not yet clear whether he will be medically fit to travel or whether he may require further treatment. The Vatican has not set a date for the release of the pathology results, which will determine whether additional care is needed.
The Gemelli is the hospital where recent Popes have been treated, and the visible progress of the past week — from surgery on Tuesday to celebrating Mass on Friday — has been closely watched in Rome and beyond.
