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Pope Leads Pilgrims in Prayer After Discharge From Lung Cancer Surgery
· Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV led pilgrims in prayer in St. Peter's Square one day after being discharged from the hospital following lung cancer surgery.
Pope Leo XIV led pilgrims in prayer in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, just one day after being discharged from Rome's Gemelli Hospital following surgery to remove a portion of his right lung.
The Vatican said the Pope's schedule had been cleared until October 20, so his reappearance in public was a surprise and a relief for Catholics around the world.
The Pope's surgery on Tuesday lasted 90 minutes and included the removal of the lower lobe of his right lung due to a cancerous growth.
On Friday, photographs were released showing the Pope celebrating Mass and distributing communion to hospital staff.
The Pope also called for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Oleshkiy, occupied by Russia, to allow for the evacuation of civilians and the delivery of food and medicine.
The Vatican said the Pope's discharge was confirmed by blood tests and a chest X-ray performed on Saturday morning, which showed continued improvement in his recovery.
The Pope thanked all those who had prayed for him, expressing particular gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and staff of the Gemelli University Hospital.
Pope Leo XIV appeared at the window of his private study in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Sunday, addressing the crowd and leading the traditional Sunday prayer.
The Pope's discharge was announced by his attending physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and the surgeon who performed the operation, Professor Stefano Margaritora.
The Pope said he planned to gradually resume his regular activities with God's help and the continued prayers of the faithful.
The Pope also received visits from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the newly elected dean of the College of Cardinals, and Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the papal vicar for Rome.
Pope Leo XIV urged dialogue and peace, emphasizing the importance of creating positive contacts between conflicting parties to seek solutions to the conflict.
What this adds
The Pope's call to Russian President Vladimir Putin for a ceasefire in Oleshkiy was the first since June 2025, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
Background
Pope Leo XIV led pilgrims in prayer in St. Peter's Square one day after being discharged from the hospital following lung cancer surgery.
Pope Leo XIV led pilgrims in prayer in St. Peter's Square one day after being discharged from the hospital following lung cancer surgery.
What's confirmed
- 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.
- The Pope also spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, in their first call since June 2025.
- About 15 minutes after leaving the hospital, the car carrying him entered Vatican City through the Perugino Gate.
- Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora said the Pope underwent blood tests and a chest X-ray in the morning, which confirm that his clinical condition allows for him to leave hospital.
- His personal physician and surgeon said in a separate statement that Leo was “deemed fit for discharge from the hospital” based on blood test results and a chest X-ray performed on Saturday morning along with an assessment of his clinical condition.
- The call suggests the pontiff, who is recovering from a lung cancer operation, is still hard at work Pope Leo spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Friday, calling for a ceasefire in a Russian-occupied city in southern Ukraine, as he recovers in hospital from a lung cancer operation.
- “The Holy Father underwent thoracic surgery as scheduled. To ensure the radical removal of the tumor, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique. An intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected from preoperative tests,” the Holy See Press Office said in a statement concerning the operation performed Tuesday afternoon at Romeʼs Agostino Gemelli University Hospital.
- 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.
- Pope Leo XIV “spoke by telephone” with Vladimir Putin, the president of the Russian Federation, from his room in the Gemelli Hospital on Oct. 16 and asked him to call for a ceasefire in Oleshky, a city in the Ukrainian region of Kherson, where the humanitarian situation is dire, the Vatican said in a note sent to the accredited media before noon EDT.
- Pope Leo XIV left Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon and returned to the Vatican after doctors said he was well enough to be discharged following surgery that removed part of his right lung.
- His discharge from the hospital was announced by the Pontiff’s attending physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and the surgeon who performed the operation, Professor Stefano Margaritora.
- “I would like to thank all those who have prayed for me in recent days. I have truly sensed your support,” the pope said after leading the crowd in St. Peter’s Square in the prayer of the Angelus.
What's still developing
- "I am better, thank you," Leo XIV said as he was driven away in a black SUV.
- The prayer that the Holy Father cited is especially popular in Spanish-speaking countries, where it is often taught to children, as the first petitions rhyme.
- At that time, she was preparing for surgery, and the Pope hugged her and offered words of encouragement.
- Through parishes, schools, hospitals, and charitable works, Christians are called to “put the Gospel into practice” by welcoming and supporting those in need.
- Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ... the comedian and longtime Las Vegas performer, whose real name is Scott Thompson, attempted suicide on Friday in the Vegas area and was rushed to a local hospital.
- In brief: Pope Leo XIV urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire in occupied Oleshky to allow aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
- She passed away peacefully at the Beacon Hospital in south Dublin, “following a period of illness”, a representative said.
- Update, Oct. 17, 2026: This story has been updated to report that, according to a senior Vatican source, the Holy See initiated the phone call between Pope Leo XIV and President Vladimir Putin.
- Pope Leo XIV appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin for a humanitarian ceasefire in the occupied city of Oleshky during a phone call from the hospital, according to a Vatican News report.
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- Pilgrims from various countries pose for a photo as they wait for Pope Francis to arrive to lead a prayer vigil during World Youth Day at Campo da Graça in Park Tejo in Lisbon, Portugal, Aug. 5, 2023. (OSV News photo/Bob Roller) The Irish prelate had been accompanying the youth during their trip to World Youth Day in Lisbon and chose to be the symbolic shepherd amongst the sheep in an actual field.
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