Pope pictured for first time since surgery and cancer diagnosis

Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon to remove a nodule from the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican said the procedure was successful and that the entire lobe was removed. Tests confirmed the nodule was lung adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer.

The Pope had announced the planned operation during his weekly Sunday prayers in St Peter’s Square. He said doctors had found a nodule at an early stage and advised its removal. According to the Vatican, he had shown no signs of infection or illness before the procedure. The medical team said pre-operative tests had indicated that the nodule was cancerous.

The Vatican said Leo awoke normally after surgery and returned to his room following a short observation period. He then had a peaceful night in hospital. On Friday, his doctors reported steady improvement in his general condition and said a chest X-ray showed good recovery of the operated lung.

The Vatican released images on Friday showing Leo celebrating Mass on the hospital’s tenth floor. He was joined by medical and nursing staff and thanked them for their service, according to the Vatican press office. Lankadeepa also reported that he was carrying out his usual duties from the hospital through online and video communications.

The reports said Leo, 71, was expected to stay in hospital for about a week while recovering.