Pope Leo to leave hospital on Saturday, four days after lung cancer surgery

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.