In brief
Pope Leo XIV is set to leave Rome’s Gemelli Hospital Saturday after a successful lung‑cancer surgery. He will give the Angelus prayer next Sunday and has already held Mass in the hospital. Medical reports show steady improvement, though final tests on spread are pending. The Pope also spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging peace amid Ukraine conflict, while his travel schedule for early‑November remains provisional.
On Saturday afternoon, Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to leave Rome’s Agostino Gemelli University Hospital after a 90‑minute operation to remove a cancerous nodule from the lower lobe of his right lung, the Vatican said.
He will give the traditional Angelus prayer and blessing in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, following a surprise Sunday evening announcement of the surgery last week.
Photographs released Friday showed the pontiff celebrating Mass and distributing communion to hospital staff, underscoring his continued pastoral duties even while under treatment.
Medical staff reported “steady improvement” after the operation, with blood tests and a chest X‑ray indicating a positive recovery trajectory; further tests to rule out metastasis are still pending.
In a diplomatic move, Leo XIV spoke by phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, urging dialogue and peace amid escalating attacks in Ukraine, a call that followed the 2025‑June first conversation between the two leaders.
The Vatican said the papal household’s schedule is cleared until 20 October, suggesting that the health milestone may allow for the early‑November Latin‑America trip to Peru and other countries.
For Catholics worldwide, the swift discharge offers a welcome reprieve, yet officials note that the Pope’s fitness for extensive travel remains undecided pending further medical review.
