In brief
Four days after undergoing a 90‑minute operation to remove a cancerous growth from his lower right lung, Pope Leo XIV will be discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. The Vatican said the pontiff will deliver the Angelus prayer and blessing in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, signalling a swift return to duties. Doctors report steady improvement in blood tests and a chest X‑ray, though further tests for spread are pending. The pope’s tight schedule will be cleared until 20 October, and he has expressed a desire to keep a planned November trip to Latin America, including Peru, although his fitness for travel remains uncertain. This rapid recovery follows his first televised announcement of the surgery and his call to Russian President Vladimir Putin for dialogue amid the Ukraine conflict.
Four days after a 90‑minute operation to remove a cancerous growth from the lower lobe of his right lung, Pope Leo XIV will leave Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon. The Vatican said the pontiff will deliver the traditional Angelus prayer and blessing in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, a move that signals a swift return to public duties.
Photographs released Friday show the pope celebrating Mass and distributing communion to hospital staff, a courtesy he had not done in weeks. A statement from his doctors noted that blood tests and a chest X‑ray showed steady improvement following the operation. The operation, which began on Tuesday, included a partial resection of the right lung and lasted roughly 90 minutes. Further tests to check for any spread of the cancer are still pending.
The pope also confirmed a brief conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday, urging “dialogue and peace” amid intensifying fighting in Ukraine. He called for a humanitarian ceasefire in the besieged town of Oleshkiy to allow evacuation and delivery of food and medical supplies.
Until 20 October, the pontiff’s schedule will be cleared, making his rapid discharge a surprise and welcome relief for Catholics worldwide. Those close to him say he remains keen to keep a planned November trip to Latin America, including a visit to Peru where he served as a missionary, although whether he will be fit to travel remains uncertain.
