Pope Leo XIV has left Rome's Gemelli Hospital just four days after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung.
The 71-year-old pontiff walked unaided to a waiting vehicle on Saturday afternoon, greeting well-wishers outside the medical facility. Attending physicians Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora confirmed in a Vatican-published statement that the Pope was deemed fit for discharge following favorable blood tests and chest X-rays that showed steady recovery.
The 90-minute procedure on Tuesday involved removing the lower lobe of the Pope's right lung. Ahead of his release, photographs showed the pontiff celebrating Mass and distributing communion to hospital staff on Friday. Vatican officials indicated that Pope Leo is expected to deliver the traditional Angelus prayer and blessing in St. Peter's Square on Sunday.
Medical teams noted that clinical evaluations will determine the timeline for future travel, including a planned early November trip to Latin America that features a visit to Peru.