Pope Leo XIV leaves hospital and will gradually resume activities
Pope Leo XIV stood unaided at the window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Sunday, delivering his weekly Angelus address to a crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square just four days after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous lung tumour.
Discharge From Gemelli Hospital And Return To The Vatican
The 71-year-old pontiff left Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon after doctors deemed him fit for discharge following blood tests and a chest x-ray that morning. Stepping out to a black SUV, Pope Leo told well-wishers, “I am better, thank you.” His surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, accompanied him to the exit, where a teenage girl presented him with a homemade papal doll.
The discharge came just days after an operation on Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. Tests confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. The diagnosis caused shock, particularly given that the pontiff was elected only in May 2025.
Gratitude Expressed During The Sunday Angelus
Greeted by applause from pilgrims below, Pope Leo used his Sunday address to express gratitude for the medical team that treated him and the community that offered prayers during his hospitalization. The pope offered “special gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and all the staff at the Gemelli Policlinic.”
“I have truly felt your support. Thank you!” Pope Leo told the crowd. He added that the ordeal provided a personal perspective on human suffering. “This experience has allowed me to feel, in a particular way, a closeness to all those who are living through illness or a state of infirmity.”
Phased Return To Papal Duties And Upcoming Travel Plans
Addressing his immediate future, Pope Leo announced from the palace window that he would “gradually resume” his activities with the help of God and continued prayers from the faithful. The Prefecture of the Papal Household had previously cancelled all the Pope’s audiences through Tuesday, 20 October.
Questions surfaced regarding a 12-day trip to South America in November. However, Dr. Margaritora told Vatican News on Saturday that there were “no clinical reasons” to prevent the journey. Margaritora noted that the pope had put his heart and soul into his recovery and expressed expectation for a full recovery in another 10 days or so.
While recovering in hospital, the pontiff maintained some work duties. Pope Leo placed a telephone call on Friday to Vladimir Putin, during which he urged a ceasefire in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Oleshky.
Doctors Await Test Results to Determine Cancer Spread
Although surgical teams confirmed that the operation concluded successfully without complications, critical prognostic details remain undisclosed. Medical specialists have not yet disclosed the size of the tumour or whether the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes—both key factors in determining prognosis.
Medical staff indicated they are still awaiting the results of tests to determine whether the cancer had spread and if more treatment would be needed.