Pope Leo XIV Discharged from Hospital After Lung Surgery
Pope Leo XIV is set to leave Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Saturday after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous node from his lung, as announced by the Holy See.
The statement specified that “following the doctors’ assessment this morning, Pope Leo XIV will be discharged today from Gemelli Hospital, where he was hospitalized for surgery on his right lung.” He is expected to return to the Vatican in the early afternoon and lead the Angelus prayer from his apartment window the following day.
On Saturday, the pope underwent blood tests and a chest X-ray, which confirmed he was fit enough to return, per reports from Vatican News.
Before heading back to the Vatican, the pope will celebrate mass in a room on the 10th floor of Gemelli Hospital, according to the press office.
Pope Leo had thoracic surgery on Tuesday to remove the lung node. It was later determined that he had lung adenocarcinoma, a type of lung cancer. “The Pope was in the operating room for about three hours, with the procedure itself lasting around 90 minutes. Doctors reported it was successful and without complications,” a statement indicated.
Following his surgery, Pope Leo was said to have awakened normally and was briefly observed before returning to his hospital room.
While he recuperates, he reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging him to call for a ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky. The pope expressed serious concerns regarding the humanitarian crisis there and requested a ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of food and medical supplies, as well as the safe evacuation of civilians.
The statement from the Vatican underscored the pope’s commitment to peace and dialogue.
In the midst of these developments, former President Trump expressed his wishes for the pope’s speedy recovery following his health challenges and spoke highly of the pontiff’s brother.
Rounding out the situation, it’s noteworthy that Russia has held control of Oleshky since May, and humanitarian efforts have reportedly faced severe restrictions, with the city lacking basic utilities and medical services.
Further comments from the Holy See are awaited as news unfolds.
