Pope Leo XIV Returns to Vatican 4 Days After Lung Cancer Surgery
He is scheduled to lead Angelus prayers on Sunday, while a November 6-17 trip to Latin America remains in preparation.
Pope Leo XIV returned to the Vatican on Saturday (17/10), four days after undergoing surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung at Rome's Gemelli Hospital. Doctors said the head of the Catholic Church had recovered enough to go home after blood tests and chest imaging looked good. Leo, 71, was seen walking to his car on his own, waving to residents, then briefly speaking with a teenager from Ukraine who is being treated in Italy. The Vatican said the pope was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma and that the operation was successful and free of complications. All previously scheduled audiences were canceled through October 20, but he is set to lead the weekly prayer in St. Peter's Square on Sunday. Preparations for a November 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru are also continuing.