ROME, ITALY — Head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, was discharged from Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon following a successful surgical procedure to treat lung cancer.
The 71-year-old pontiff returned to his residence at the Vatican after spending four days under medical observation following the extraction of a cancerous nodule from his right lung on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
Medical clearance was granted earlier on Saturday by his personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, alongside lead thoracic surgeon Professor Stefano Margaritora.
Diagnostic checks, including routine blood work and chest radiograph imaging, confirmed that the pontiff’s post-operative recovery met all clinical benchmarks necessary for early release. Before boarding his vehicle for the Vatican, the Pope walked unassisted from the medical facility and paused to greet gatherers waiting outside.
Pathology evaluations conducted after Tuesday’s ninety-minute operation determined the extracted tissue to be lung adenocarcinoma. Prior to his departure on Saturday afternoon, the Pope celebrated Holy Mass on the hospital’s tenth floor and expressed gratitude to the attending healthcare team.
Vatican official statements confirm that Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to deliver his traditional noon Angelus prayer on Sunday from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking Saint Peter’s Square, though public audiences remain suspended through October 20 to support his recovery.
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