When the doors of the Gemelli Hospital opened on Saturday, the 71‑year‑old Pope Leo XIV emerged, a grin under his white cassock, greeted by a chorus of applause that spilled into the courtyard. He crossed the lobby on foot, shook hands with the attending surgeons, and waved to the crowd before his black SUV slid into the Vatican’s side entrance.
The tumour, discovered by chance during a routine abdominal X‑ray, had been a small spot at the base of his right lung. Surgeon Stefano Margaritora, who led the procedure, called the operation "routine" but praised the Pope’s determination, saying he had "put his heart and soul into the recovery, like the most motivated patients."
The Vatican, rattled by the uncertainty of his health, had cancelled audiences until October 20 and postponed the Pope’s planned South‑American trip scheduled for November 6‑17. Yet, Margaritora said there were "no clinical reasons why the trip should not go ahead," and the Pope has already called Russian President Vladimir Putin to urge a ceasefire in Oleshky.
Outside the hospital, 13‑year‑old Ukrainian survivor Varvara Struck spoke with the Pope, expressing gratitude for his blessing last year and wishing him a swift recovery. The Pope will recite the Angelus from the Apostolic Palace window tomorrow, a customary sign of his return to active ministry. Medical staff expect the Pope to be fully recovered in about ten days, after which he may resume more regular duties and confirm whether the South‑American visit proceeds.