Pope Leo Leaves Hospital After Lung Surgery

Pope Leo XIV left the hospital on Saturday, four days after surgery to remove part of his right lung due to lung cancer.

The 71-year-old Pope left Rome’s Gemelli Hospital in the afternoon and returned to the Vatican. Doctors confirmed his health was good enough for him to go home.

He walked to his car without help and spoke briefly to supporters outside the hospital.

His discharge came after blood tests and chest scans on Saturday. Doctors said the surgery went well and there were no complications.

The operation happened on Tuesday after doctors found a possible cancer nodule in his right lung. They removed the lower lobe, and tests confirmed it was lung adenocarcinoma, which is the most common type of lung cancer.

On the same day, the Vatican shared that the Pope would lead the Angelus prayer on Sunday from his apartment window, which looks over St Peter’s Square.

This will be his first public event since the surgery.

Doctors have not shared how big the tumor was or if the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. This information is important for understanding his recovery.

Pope Leo was elected in May 2025. He is the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church.