Nicole Winfield and Paolo Santalucia
Updated ,first published
Rome: Pope Leo is expected to leave hospital on Saturday afternoon (Rome local time) following surgery for lung cancer, the Vatican said, after blood tests and chest imaging found him fit to return home four days after his operation.
The 71-year-old pontiff, who has not been seen in public since a procedure on Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, will also hold his first public engagement since surgery on Sunday.
He will lead weekly prayers with pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square at midday.
Pope Leo XIV gave strong indications on Friday (Rome time) that he was recovering well from lung cancer surgery and was very much in charge of running the Catholic Church, speaking on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, meeting with top aides and celebrating Mass in a makeshift hospital chapel.
The Vatican said that during the call with Putin, “The Holy Father expressed his deep concern about the grave humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, and called for a ceasefire to allow the delivery of food and medical assistance, and the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population.”
The statement added that Leo “reaffirmed the Holy See’s commitment to promoting dialogue and peace”.
Putin voiced support for “the Vatican’s intention to help create conditions for ensuring the safety of the local population and facilitating the delivery of essential supplies”, and an agreement was reached to coordinate efforts in this regard, the statement said.
Also on Friday, the Vatican released the first images of Leo since his lung cancer surgery on October 13, showing him standing up at the altar in green vestments, as doctors said that tests confirmed his “continued improvement”.
Leo had the lower lobe of his right lung removed after doctors identified a suspected cancerous nodule. The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.
“His post-operative recovery allows him to carry out his normal daily activities completely on his own,” said a medical update signed by Leo’s personal physician Dr Luigi Carbone and the head of thoracic surgery, Dr Stefano Margaritora.
The Vatican had originally estimated a weeklong hospital stay, and had cancelled his audiences through Tuesday. Even as questions swirled about the future of Leo’s young pontificate, there were signs on Friday that it was all systems go. The Vatican published the names of journalists accredited to fly on Leo’s plane with him during his November 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
Leo’s ability to make the trip has been in question since his diagnosis, and the Vatican can change the plans at any time. But the posting of the media list signalled that at least on an organisational level, the trip was going ahead.
Doctors are still awaiting the results of tests to understand the precise molecular and genetic makeup of the cancer, whether it has spread beyond the lobe and whether any further treatment is necessary.
AP
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