Catholic Pontiff, His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV has been discharged from hospital four days after undergoing surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung following a diagnosis of lung cancer.
The 71-year-old pontiff left Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon and returned to the Vatican after doctors confirmed that his condition was stable enough for him to continue recovering outside the hospital.
The surgery, performed on Tuesday, was successful and completed without complications, according to reports.
Leo reportedly walked unaided to his waiting car and briefly addressed well-wishers gathered outside the hospital.
His discharge followed blood tests and chest imaging conducted earlier on Saturday to assess his recovery.
The operation was carried out after doctors identified a suspected cancerous nodule in his right lung. The diagnosis was subsequently confirmed as lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.
However, doctors have not disclosed the size of the tumour or whether the cancer had spread to nearby lymph nodes, details considered important in determining the pontiff’s prognosis.
Meanwhile, the Vatican announced that the Pope would lead the traditional Angelus prayer on Sunday from the window of the papal apartment overlooking St Peter’s Square.
The prayer would mark his first public engagement since undergoing surgery.
Leo was elected Pope in May 2025, becoming the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church.
