Pope Leo XIV was discharged from the hospital on Saturday following a successful surgical procedure to remove a cancerous nodule from his lungs. The medical milestone clears the way for the pontiff’s rigorous upcoming travel schedule and helps alleviate international concerns regarding a potential leadership vacuum at the Vatican.
The Holy See Press Office released a statement on Saturday detailing the decision, attributing the update to the pope’s medical team, Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora. According to the statement, the discharge was authorized after a review of the pontiff’s clinical condition alongside the results of morning blood tests and a chest X-ray, which confirmed he was fit to leave medical care.
The medical timeline began on October 11, when the Vatican first announced that the pope would undergo surgery to remove a nodule from his lung. Subsequent updates from Vatican officials confirmed that the operation successfully removed the lower lobe of his right lung. By Tuesday, the Vatican reported that the surgery had been a success, noting that the pope was walking around, eating normally, and showing normal results in his blood tests and chest X-rays.
Medical context provided by the Cancer Center indicates that lung adenocarcinoma is the most common subtype of lung cancer, and survival rates are notably high when the disease is caught in its early stages. The Vatican has not yet disclosed whether the pontiff will require any additional medical treatments following his recovery.
The pope’s hospitalization and subsequent cancer diagnosis prompted widespread anxiety among Catholics worldwide, drawing an outpouring of prayers and well-wishes from the faithful. In Chicago, the hometown of the first American pontiff, local Catholics gathered to assemble a special care package for the recovering leader, which included get-well cards and a Chicago White Sox blanket, reflecting the deep personal connection felt by his community of origin.
