Pope Leo XIV will be discharged from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday, four days after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung in an operation that confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, the Vatican said. Doctors described the surgery as successful and without complications, and blood tests and chest imaging found him fit to return home. The 71-year-old pontiff, who has not been seen publicly since the Tuesday procedure, will lead the weekly noon prayers in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, his first public engagement since the operation. The Vatican released images showing Leo celebrating Mass and standing unaided and said work on his 6, 17 November visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru is continuing, with a list of accredited journalists already issued. Medical teams have not disclosed the tumour’s size or whether cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, two key factors for prognosis. Cardinal Pietro Parolin said Leo may need to adjust the pace of his schedule going forward depending on his health.
