Pope Leo XIV was discharged from Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Saturday afternoon, four days after undergoing surgery. The 71-year-old pontiff returned to Vatican City at 3:43 p.m. local time following a procedure to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung.
The discharge occurred earlier than the initial estimate of Oct. 20. According to a statement from his personal physician and surgeon, the Pope was deemed fit for release based on Saturday morning blood tests, a chest X-ray, and a clinical assessment. Doctors had noted a "steady improvement in his recovery" on Friday, following his resumption of some work activities on Thursday.
Upon his exit, the Pope shook hands with members of a crowd gathered outside the hospital before departing in a motorcade. While at the hospital, he celebrated Mass in a chapel and held telephone and in-person meetings. The Vatican reported he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday regarding the humanitarian situation in Oleshky, Ukraine, and met with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Cardinal Baldassare Reina.
Followers of the Church and residents of Rome will see a return to regular papal appearances starting Sunday, when the Pope is scheduled to recite the Angelus prayer from his apartment window. The surgery had initially put into question a scheduled trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru next month. For the journalists and staff typically traveling on the papal plane, and the residents of the South American nations expecting his arrival, the Vatican's Friday publication of an accredited press list suggests the international visit remains on schedule.
The next steps for the Pope's recovery include monitoring his ability to handle travel and public speaking engagements. While he has resumed some administrative duties, the long-term impact on his schedule depends on his ongoing response to the recent surgery. The Vatican has not yet announced any further medical treatments or modifications to his upcoming itinerary beyond the immediate resumption of Sunday prayers.