In brief
Pope Leo XIV is set to be discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday after a successful 90‑minute operation to remove a lung nodule. The Vatican says he will give the traditional Angelus prayer and blessing to a crowd in St Peter’s Square on Sunday. Photographs released of the Pope celebrating Mass in the hospital show him in an angelic mood, while doctors report steady improvement in his health. The surgery removed the lower lobe of his right lung, but further tests for metastasis are pending. With the Pope’s public schedule cleared until 20 October, his quick return is seen as a relief for Catholics worldwide and may precede his planned trip to Latin America in early November.
Pope Leo XIV will be discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon, just four days after an operation to remove a cancerous growth from his lung.
The Vatican said the Pope will give the traditional Angelus prayer and blessing to a crowd in St Peter's Square on Sunday, as he did last week when he surprised the world by announcing the surgery.
Photographs released on Friday show the Pope celebrating Mass and distributing communion to hospital staff in a white robe.
A statement from his doctors said blood tests and a chest X‑ray showed "steady improvement" following the operation.
The surgery, which lasted 90 minutes, included the removal of the lower lobe of the Pope's right lung. Results of further tests to check for any spread of the cancer have not yet been announced.
The Pope also spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, in their first call since June 2025, to urge "dialogue and peace."
Meanwhile, Russia's bombardment of cities across Ukraine is intensifying, with a growing number of civilian casualties and no sign of a halt to the invasion.
He also called for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Oleshkiy, occupied by Russia and under constant shelling, to allow people to be evacuated and for urgent delivery of food and medicine.
The Pope's schedule has been cleared completely until 20 October, so his early re‑appearance in public is a surprise and will be a relief for Catholics around the world.
Those close to the Pope said he was keen not to delay a trip to Latin America, planned for early November and which includes a visit to Peru, where he was a missionary for many years.
It is not yet clear whether he might be fit to travel or require further treatment.
