The Vatican says the 71-year-old pontiff was deemed fit for discharge on Saturday — and plans to lead Sunday’s Angelus from the papal apartment window.
By The Wellness Desk — CelebnMusic247
Pope Leo lung cancer: Pope Leo XIV was discharged from Rome’s Agostino Gemelli hospital on Saturday, October 17, four days after his lung cancer surgery, according to a news release from the Vatican reported by the Associated Press and People.
His personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and his surgeon, Professor Stefano Margaritora, said in a statement released by the Vatican that Leo was “deemed fit for discharge from the hospital” based on blood test results and a chest X-ray performed Saturday morning, along with an assessment of his clinical condition. The Vatican said he was set to leave the hospital in the early afternoon and return to the Vatican. USA Today reported that he smiled and waved to well-wishers from his departure vehicle.
Pope Leo lung cancer: the discharge details
Before returning to the Vatican, Leo celebrated Mass at the hospital, according to the Vatican’s press office — the second consecutive day he had done so. On Friday, October 16, the Vatican released the first images of the pope since his surgery, showing him at an altar in a hospital chapel on the 10th floor. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Leo thanked the hospital staff “for the work they do every day taking care of the sick in their fragility, and in a particular way what they had done for him,” according to AP.
The surgery took place on Tuesday, October 13. According to the Vatican, surgeons removed the lower lobe of Leo’s right lung after doctors identified a suspected cancerous nodule. Tissue examined during the operation confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, which AP described as the most common type of lung cancer and which doctors had already suspected before the operation. The Vatican said the surgery was successful and that there were no complications, and Healthline reported the same account of the procedure from the Vatican’s earlier press release.
Leo had told the public about the operation himself. According to AP, he announced last Sunday to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square that doctors had identified a nodule on his lung and that it would be removed — a level of openness AP described as notable transparency. In the days after the surgery, medical bulletins from his physician and surgeon said his recovery had allowed him to carry on “normal daily activities completely on his own,” per AP. During his hospital stay he also met with top aides and held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, AP reported.
Sunday’s Angelus and what comes next
His next public step is already on the calendar. The Vatican said Leo will deliver the traditional noon Angelus prayer and blessing on Sunday, October 18, from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square — the window of the papal apartment, according to the Holy See Press Office.
What has not been shared is just as clear in the official statements. People reported that additional details about Leo’s cancer, including whether it has spread, as well as his treatment plan, have not been publicly shared. AP reported that doctors are still awaiting the results of tests to understand the precise makeup of the cancer, whether it spread beyond the removed lobe, and whether any further treatment is necessary. Reuters reporting cited by USA Today likewise noted that doctors have not yet disclosed the size of the tumor or whether the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes.
The Vatican had originally estimated a weeklong hospital stay, according to AP, making Saturday’s discharge earlier than expected. USA Today reported the Vatican said work on his November 6 to 17 visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru was “going forward.” For now, the only confirmed next appearance is Sunday’s Angelus.
Photo Courtesy of Instagram Pope Leo XIV
Sources: AP via TMJ4/Scripps News Group, People, USA Today and Healthline, reporting statements from the Vatican and the Holy See Press Office.
