Pope Leo XIV was discharged from the hospital Saturday, Oct. 17, four days after having surgery for lung cancer.
Leo’s doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora said the Pope’s clinical condition is good enough to allow him to leave the hospital, the Vatican said on Saturday. The 71-year-old pontiff underwent blood tests and a chest X-ray in the morning.
Pope Leo wore a smile as he departed Gemelli Hospital in Rome and waved to well wishers and onlookers from his departure vehicle.
Pope Leo leaves Gemelli Hospital following his lung surgery and cancer diagnosis, in Rome, Italy, October 17, 2026.
On Sunday, Pope Leo will lead the Angelus prayer from the window of the papal apartment, according to the press office.
The pope underwent a procedure on Oct. 13 to remove a small lung nodule doctors had discovered in a recent health checkup. The growth was later diagnosed as lung adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer.
The pope’s doctors have said the surgery was completed successfully, without complications. They have not yet disclosed the size of the tumor or whether the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes, key factors in determining prognosis, Reuters reported.
Pope Leo update: Pontiff to make first appearance since cancer surgery
Pope Leo will again celebrate Mass in hospital
Before returning to the Vatican, the pope celebrated Mass at the hospital in Rome, according to the Press Office. It was the second consecutive day in which the pope celebrated mass there.
On Oct. 16, Leo celebrated Mass in a room set up on the 10th floor of Gemelli Hospital, where he distributed Communion to attendees. Members of the hospital’s medical and nursing staff and the Vatican City State Gendarmerie Corps attended.
Pope Leo waves from a car as he leaves Gemelli Hospital following his lung surgery and cancer diagnosis, in Rome, Italy, October 17, 2026.
Pope Leo speaks with Putin
Also on Friday, Oct. 16, Pope Leo spoke by telephone with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, according to the Holy See Press Office.
“During the conversation, the Holy Father expressed his deep concern about the grave humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, and called for a ceasefire to allow the delivery of food and medical assistance, and the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population,” said the statement.
The pope is expected to maintain a busy post-operation schedule, even though some cardinals began to publicly express concern about the pope’s health, Reuters reported.
The Vatican said work on his November 6 to 17 visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, one of the most intense arranged for a pope in decades, was “going forward.”
Contributing: Saman Shafiq
Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pope Leo leaves hospital four days after cancer surgery
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