Pope Leo XIV Celebrates Hospital Mass After Lung Cancer Surgery

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass from his hospital room in his first public appearance since doctors diagnosed him with lung cancer.

The Vatican released the photographs on Oct. 16. They show the 71-year-old pope wearing green vestments at a makeshift altar on the 10th floor of Gemelli Hospital in Rome, according to Town & Country. The images are the first direct view of him since the diagnosis became public.

One image shows him standing next to his private secretary, Peruvian priest Edgard Rimaycuna. The altar is simple. The setting is a hospital floor, not a chapel.

The Mass was held for the medical and nursing staff caring for him. Officers of the Vatican City State Gendarmerie Corps, the police force for Vatican City, also attended. That unit handles security inside the Vatican and at papal events.

Doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora gave the medical update. They said blood tests and a chest X-ray confirmed steady improvement in his overall condition.

The pope is continuing respiratory physiotherapy during his recovery. Those are guided breathing exercises used to restore lung strength after chest surgery. His doctors said he is carrying out normal daily activities completely independently.

Leo was admitted to Gemelli after doctors found a nodule on his lung. A nodule is a small spot or growth that needs closer testing. Surgery to remove it lasted about 90 minutes and was completed successfully.

The operation took place on the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 13, Reuters reported. Surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung, according to Vatican News.

Tests after surgery confirmed the diagnosis. He has pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small cell lung cancer that begins in the mucus-making cells of the lung. It is one of the more common forms of lung cancer.

Results that would show whether the cancer has spread were still pending on Oct. 16. Such testing is standard after cancer surgery to check if further treatment is needed. The Vatican said Leo is expected to lead the traditional Sunday Angelus prayer, the brief midday prayer and blessing broadcast from the Vatican.

What stands out here is what the images were meant to convey. They do not resolve the medical questions ahead. They show a 71-year-old patient standing at an altar three days after lung surgery, back in a public role.