By Joshua McElwee
ROME, Oct 17 (Reuters) – Pope Leo is expected to leave hospital on Saturday afternoon 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 noon (1000 GMT).
Leo has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. The diagnosis for a pope known to be relatively young and energetic and who was elected only in May 2025 caused shock and raised questions about the future shape of his papacy as he deals with the illness.
The pope’s doctors have said his surgery was completed successfully, without complications. They have not yet disclosed the size of the tumour or whether the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes, key factors in determining prognosis.
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The Vatican signaled on Friday that Leo, known for following a busy schedule, intended to keep up his commitments, as some cardinals began to publicly express concern about the pope’s health.
The Vatican said work on his November 6 to 17 visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, one of the most intense arranged for a pope in decades, was “going forward”. It released a list of journalists accredited to travel with Leo and cover the trip.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, said on Friday that Leo may need to adjust the pace of his schedule going forward “according to the condition of his health”. It is unusual for a cardinal to say openly that a pope might need to modify his routine.
The Vatican on Friday released the first images of the pope since his surgery, showing him celebrating Mass and standing unaided.
(Reporting by Joshua McElweeEditing by Keith Weir)
