Pope Leo XIV emerged from the Apostolic Palace’s window in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, five days after the operation that removed the lower lobe of his right lung. The 71‑year‑old pontiff, who has led the Catholic Church for 17 months, greeted a throng of pilgrims under gray skies and thanked the world for its prayers.
Discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Saturday, the Pope said he was "doing much better" as he left the wards. The surgery, performed on Tuesday, proved the cancer was adenocarcinoma, the most common lung‑cancer type, and doctors are now running genetic tests that will decide whether chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted oral drugs are needed.
Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the surgeon, told Vatican News that there were "no clinical reasons" to block the pontiff’s upcoming November trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. The trip, slated for 6‑17 November, will involve twelve flights and two helicopter rides to high‑altitude sites, and the papal household expects Leo to recover fully in about ten more days.
A pilgrim from Kerala, who had followed the Pope’s health updates on social media, said, "Seeing him smile again fills our hearts with relief." The next step is the November itinerary, which will mark the Pope’s first major overseas engagement after his return to Rome.