In brief
Vatican officials report that Pope Leo XIV is progressing well after a 90‑minute procedure to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, where a lung adenocarcinoma was discovered. The 71‑year‑old pontiff began walking and resumed a normal diet shortly after the operation, which was carried out at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. Blood tests and an X‑ray confirmed that recovery is proceeding normally, and he has undergone respiratory physiotherapy. Doctors expect him to stay in the hospital for about a week while he fully heals.
Pope Leo XIV’s recovery from a lung lobectomy is moving ahead as expected, according to Vatican doctors.
After a roughly 90‑minute operation to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, the 71‑year‑old pontiff began walking and has resumed a normal diet, the Vatican said.
The surgery was performed at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon; later tests confirmed a lung adenocarcinoma had been removed surgically without complications.
Early Wednesday blood tests and an X‑ray show the Pope’s recovery is proceeding normally, and he has also undergone respiratory physiotherapy.
The entire lower lobe was removed “to ensure the procedure was radical,” the Vatican stated. The Pope awoke normally, spent the night in observation, and plans to remain in the hospital for roughly a week while he heals.
The news has stunned Catholics worldwide, who have recently watched other pontiffs receive medical care, and it marks a rare moment of vulnerability for the church’s new head.
