In brief
The 71‑year‑old Pope Leo XIV was photographed celebrating a brief Mass from the tenth floor of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, his first public appearance since undergoing lung surgery. During the operation, doctors removed the entire lower lobe of his right lung after finding a cancerous nodule. Vatican officials report that the procedure was successful with no complications and that the Pope is steadily improving. He thanked the medical and nursing staff for their care and prayed for their wellbeing. The images are released as part of a fragile recovery period, with the pontiff expected to stay in the hospital for about a week.
The 71‑year‑old pontiff was photographed in a green cassock on the tenth floor of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital as he celebrated a brief Mass for the medical and nursing staff who treated him.
Pope Leo was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma following a routine check‑up that revealed a nodule on his right lung. The nodule was surgically removed – the entire lower lobe – in an operation that the Vatican said was "successful" and without complications.
In the snapshot, the pontiff stands behind a modest altar, a wooden crucifix hanging on the white wall. He lifted his hands in blessing, then addressed his staff, thanking them for their care and praying for their wellbeing.
Doctors reported that the Pope is steadily improving and that a chest X‑ray shows good recovery of the operated lung. He is expected to remain in the hospital for about a week while completing his recovery.
The images are the first released by the Vatican since the surgery, which took place on Tuesday afternoon. The Pope announced his operation during his weekly Sunday prayers in St Peter’s Square, telling the crowd that surgeries on early‑stage lung nodules are routine.
