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Vatican Releases First Photos of Recovering Pope Leo XIV
Confirmed
In Short: The Vatican released the first photos of Pope Leo XIV following his surgery, showing him attending Mass at Rome's Gemelli Hospital.
The Vatican on Friday released the first images of Pope Leo XIV since his lung cancer surgery, showing him celebrating Mass at Rome's Gemelli Hospital.
Doctors reported a steady improvement in the Pope's overall health condition, with blood tests and a chest X-ray confirming the continued recovery.
Pope Leo XIV, 71, was admitted to Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday for surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung following the detection of a mass.
In a post on X, the Vatican said the Pope expressed gratitude to the medical staff for their continued care and assistance during his hospitalisation.
The Pope celebrated Mass with the medical and nursing staff of Gemelli Hospital, as well as with some people who were present there and apparently were not on duty at the time.
In his homily, the Pope thanked all the staff—doctors, nurses, and orderlies—for the work they do every day caring for patients in their frailty, and especially for what they have done and continue to do for him.
The Vatican stated that his recovery is proceeding as expected, with blood tests and a chest X-ray showing normal postoperative results.
All appointments on Leo XIV’s schedule through Oct. 20 have been canceled, though the Vatican has not ruled out the possibility that he could be discharged before then.
What this adds
The Vatican has not announced any changes to his planned trip, but medical experts suggest that if additional treatment is required, travel plans might need to be adjusted.
Background
Pope Leo XIV announced Sunday that he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a lung nodule discovered during a recent medical examination.
What's confirmed
- Add ANI As A Trusted Source For Reliable Information ANI | Updated: Oct 16, 2026 19:13 IST Rome [Italy], October 16 (ANI): The Vatican on Friday released the first picture of Pope Leo XIV following his surgery, as the Pontiff attended Mass at Rome 's Gemelli Hospital and doctors reported a steady improvement in his overall health condition.
- "In his homily, the Pope thanked all the staff—doctors, nurses, and orderlies—for the work they do every day caring for patients in their frailty, and especially for what they have done and continue to do for him," the Holy See Press Office said.
- However, on Friday, the Vatican published the names of journalists accredited to fly on the pope's plane with him during his Nov. 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
- (Vatican Media via AP) ROME (AP) — The Vatican on Friday released the first images of Pope Leo XIV since his lung cancer surgery, showing him celebrating Mass, as doctors said that tests confirmed the “continued improvement” in his recovery.
- An event every week that begins at 8:00 am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, repeating until October 31, 2026 An event every week that begins at 8:00 am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, repeating until October 31, 2026 The Vatican shared an update on Wednesday regarding Pope Leo XIV, noting that the Pontiff is making a steady recovery following lung surgery at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic.
- Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni reported that the Holy Father spent a restful night in his hospital room and that his post-operative status remains fully stable.
What's still developing
- Previous medical updates also indicated that routine postoperative checks had yielded reassuring results and that the Pope's recovery was progressing normally.
- The Vatican added that the Pope continues to undergo respiratory physiotherapy and is carrying out his normal daily activities entirely independently as he recovers.
- Several members of Gemelli Hospital's medical and nursing staff attended the Mass, along with members of the Vatican City State Gendarmerie Corps.
- The pope is expected to lead the traditional Angelus prayer on Sunday, although a Vatican source did not specify whether he would deliver it from the hospital or from the Vatican.
- Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement that the pontiff presided alone over the liturgy, distributed Communion to medical personnel and Vatican gendarmes present and delivered a homily.
- The two photos showed the pope standing up in his priestly vestments.
- "We can't make any type of predictions," Parolin said Thursday on the sidelines of a diplomatic event, according to the LaPresse and ANSA news agencies.
- In the nearer term, Vatican officials were gaming out possible scenarios for Leo to recite the traditional Sunday noontime Angelus prayer.
- The Vatican has not announced any changes to his planned trip, but medical experts suggest that if additional treatment is required, travel plans might need to be adjusted.
- Back in 1984, while living in Rome, the future pope wrote to several friends saying, "my mother continues to undergo chemotherapy treatments. … She's a tough lady and handles it all well, which makes it a little easier for me being so far from Chicago."
- The Vatican noted that the 71-year-old pontiff has already initiated a targeted regimen of respiratory physiotherapy, resumed eating solid meals for breakfast and lunch, and successfully managed light physical activity by walking brief distances within his medical quarters.
- “I really appreciated yesterday at the end of the Angelus, he himself said, ‘This is what’s going on — very transparent — and ask for prayers,’” Lacroix said.