On Saturday, October 17, 2026, Pope Leo XIV walked out of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital unaided, smiling and waving to well-wishers just four days after undergoing surgery for lung cancer—the first major health challenge of his papacy.
The 71-year-old pontiff, the first American-born pope (born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago in 1955 and elected on May 8, 2025), was admitted on Tuesday, October 13. Doctors performed a roughly 90-minute video-assisted procedure that removed the lower lobe of his right lung. Intraoperative testing confirmed pulmonary adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer.
Recovery progressed swiftly. The pope walked, ate normally, received respiratory physiotherapy, and resumed limited work duties from the hospital, including meetings with cardinals and a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning civilians in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky. He also celebrated Mass in a hospital room on the 10th floor.
Doctors Luigi Carbone (the pope’s personal physician) and Stefano Margaritora (the lead surgeon) reviewed Saturday morning blood tests and a chest X-ray and stated that the Holy Father was “deemed fit for discharge.” He left around 3:30 p.m. local time, greeting staff, patients, and a 13-year-old Ukrainian girl who offered him a gift, before returning by motorcade to the Apostolic Palace.
The following day, Sunday, October 18, Pope Leo appeared at the window of the Apostolic Palace to lead the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square. He thanked those who had prayed for him and the medical staff at Gemelli, noting that the experience had drawn him closer to those facing illness. He said he would “gradually resume” his activities with God’s help and the prayers of the faithful.
His surgeon told Vatican media there were “no clinical reasons” preventing the planned November 6–17 trip to South America, estimating full recovery in roughly another 10 days. Further testing continues to determine whether the cancer has spread; no detailed public prognosis has been released.
This brief hospitalization and early discharge mark a relatively quick turnaround for the first American pope, who has dual U.S.-Peruvian citizenship, extensive missionary experience in Peru as an Augustinian, and a reputation for bridging cultures. While the full medical picture remains incomplete, the visible signs of recovery and the resumption of the Angelus have brought relief to the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
Sources include reporting from CNN, CBS News, Vatican News, America Magazine, OSV News, and official Vatican statements.
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