📰 2 sources 7 articles · 16 Oct 2026, 10:18 → 22 hours ago

Pope Leo XIV recovers after lung surgery and leaves Gemelli Hospital to return to the Vatican

Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery at Rome's Gemelli University Hospital to remove a lung tumor, and the Holy See said his recovery was proceeding normally. After five days in hospital, the Pope walked out and returned to the Vatican, and is due to recite the Angelus on Sunday from the window of the papal apartment.

📍 Where things stand: The Pope has returned to the Vatican five days after surgery; the fate of his scheduled trip to America has not yet been decided.

⏱️ Timeline

16 Oct 2026, 10:18 The Holy See announced that Pope Leo XIV's recovery was proceeding normally after surgery at Gemelli University Hospital in Rome to remove a pulmonary adenoma, that a chest X-ray showed good improvement in the operated lung, and that routine tests came back within normal rates. The press office statement said the Pope carries out his daily activities independently, took part in Mass inside the hospital and had a physiotherapy session; Vatican media spoke of steady improvement and full independence in daily activities.
17 Oct 2026, 13:55 The Vatican announced that Pope Leo XIV would leave the hospital today, Saturday, with the Vatican settling the date of his discharge; no further details were given in the available texts.
17 Oct 2026, 17:29 Agence France-Presse reported that Pope Leo XIV returned to the Vatican after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous lung tumor. The agency said the 71-year-old Pope left Gemelli Hospital in Rome for the Vatican five days after the operation, walking out on foot and waving smiling to the crowd at the hospital entrance who cheered him.
17 Oct 2026, 18:09 The Vatican said that the 71-year-old Pope Leo XIV would leave the hospital early on Saturday afternoon after his doctors confirmed he was able to be discharged, that he would recite the Angelus on Sunday from the window of the papal apartment, and that the fate of his scheduled trip to America had not yet been decided.

Timeline written by AI from the sources below; updated as new reports arrive.

⚠️ Sources disagree

Nature of the removed tumor

removal of a pulmonary adenoma according to Lebanon Debate
removal of a cancerous tumor in the lung according to MTV Lebanon

Time of hospital discharge

left Gemelli Hospital returning to the Vatican (report at 17:44) according to MTV Lebanon
would leave the hospital early on Saturday afternoon (report at 18:09) according to Lebanon Debate

Figures as each outlet reported them at the time. We do not judge which is correct; numbers often change as events develop.

Lebanon Debatelebanon debateMTV Lebanon