Pope Leo XIV to Leave Hospital After Lung Cancer Surgery

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to leave the Gemelli Hospital on Saturday, four days after doctors removed a pulmonary adenocarcinoma nodule. The 71-year-old pontiff, the first American to hold the office, was admitted on Tuesday for the procedure.

"In light of the blood tests and the chest X-ray performed this morning, and following an assessment of his clinical status, the Holy Father has been deemed fit for discharge," said Dr. Luigi Carbone and Prof. Stefano Margaritora.

The pope is expected to return to the Vatican in the afternoon after celebrating a midday mass at the hospital. He plans to deliver the traditional Sunday blessing from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, marking his first public appearance since announcing the surgery.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See Secretary of State, said officials will monitor the pope’s condition before confirming upcoming travel plans, including a Latin American trip scheduled for early November.

"We need to see how the Pope feels once he is discharged—what his state of health is—and based on that, he will decide whether to keep or cancel his trips," Parolin told reporters.

Since the operation, the pope has continued to work from his hospital room, meeting cardinals and speaking by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the situation of civilians in Oleshky, Ukraine. The Vatican noted that past popes have prepared resignation letters for severe illness, but Parolin indicated that Pope Leo has not done so.

The recent appointment of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as Dean of the College of Cardinals, confirmed just before the surgery, remains in effect.

The Vatican said it will continue to assess the pope’s health before finalizing any further public engagements.