Italy: Pope Leo left Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday to return to the Vatican following surgery for lung cancer four days ago.
The 71-year-old walked unaided to his waiting car, stopping to greet hospital staff and well-wishers, including a cancer survivor he had previously met during an audience, before leaving.
His doctors had earlier said he was well enough to return home after carrying out the latest blood tests and chest imaging.
The pope, who underwent an operation on Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, will hold his first public engagement since surgery on Sunday. He is due to lead weekly prayers with pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square at noon.
Leo has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. The diagnosis of a pope considered relatively young and energetic, 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 the 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 the prognosis.