Pope Leo XIV Returns to Window 5 Days After Lung Cancer Surgery

Pope Leo XIV appeared at the window of the Apostolic Palace on Sunday, five days after surgeons removed a cancerous tumor from his lung. The first American-born pope delivered the traditional Angelus prayer to thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square, signaling a faster-than-expected recovery that keeps a grueling three-country South American trip on the schedule for next month.

Medical teams had initially projected a week-long hospitalization following Tuesday’s operation at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where doctors excised the lower lobe of his right lung. He was discharged Saturday instead. Speaking to a reporter in English as he left the facility, the 71-year-old pontiff said he was doing “much better,” according to the Associated Press.

The speed of his return raises immediate questions about the Vatican’s travel calendar. Leo is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from Nov. 6 through Nov. 17. That itinerary demands a dozen flights and two helicopter rides to high-altitude destinations — physically taxing logistics for any 71-year-old, let alone one missing a portion of his right lung. Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the pope’s surgeon, told Vatican News on Saturday that he saw “no clinical reasons” the trip should not take place, projecting full surgical recovery “in another 10 days or so.”

Doctors confirmed the mass was adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. Pathologists are now testing the extracted tumor and surrounding lymph nodes to determine whether the disease has spread. Those results will dictate if the Vatican must prepare for follow-up chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted therapy, steps that could derail the South America plans regardless of Margaritora’s current assessment.

This marks the first major health crisis of Leo’s 17-month pontificate. Papal illnesses historically freeze Vatican operations and trigger speculation about succession. Pope John Paul II’s public decline with Parkinson’s disease stretched over a decade, while Pope Francis underwent colon surgery in 2021 and abdominal surgery in 2023, both times returning to the window within days before scaling back international travel months later.

During Sunday’s address, Leo reflected on the biblical passage instructing Christians to “give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” He thanked hospital staff and the Catholic faithful, saying his recent health struggles brought him closer to those suffering from illness. He stated he planned to gradually resume regular activities.

Claire Holland, visiting the Vatican from Jacksonville, Fla., told the AP she felt “very blessed” to witness the appearance. “I think there have been millions and millions of prayers. And he is a strong determined man, and I am so happy that he is feeling well enough to do this,” Holland said.