Pope Leo XIV is up and moving after having part of his lung removed.After undergoing thoracic surgery Tuesday, during which surgeons removed the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung, examination of the tissue confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, or lung cancer, according to the Vatican.The pope, 71, has spent four days recovering at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, Italy, following the successful procedure.DR MARC SIEGEL: POPE LEO'S LUNG SURGERY PUTS MODERN MEDICINE ALONGSIDE FAITHOn Friday, the Vatican released the first photos of Pope Leo after the operation.The Pope celebrates Mass for several members of the medical staff on the 10th floor of the Gemelli Hospital, on Oct.16, 2026, in Rome, Italy.
(Photo by (EV) /Vatican Media/ Abaca/Sipa USA(Sipa via AP Images))The pope is pictured standing at an altar in green vestments, celebrating Mass in a makeshift chapel at the hospital where he distributed communion.According to a Holy See Press Office statement, several members of Gemelli’s medical and nursing staff and members of the Vatican City State Gendarmerie Corps attended the service.POPE LEO'S LUNG TUMOR RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT CANCER RISK FOR NONSMOKERS"In his homily, the Pope thanked all the staff – doctors, nurses and orderlies – for the work they do every day caring for patients in their frailty, and especially for what they have done and continue to do for him," the statement said.The Vatican also confirmed on Friday that the pope’s recovery continues with "steady improvement in his overall condition."On his fourth day in hospital, Pope Leo XIV's doctors said new blood tests and a chest X-ray confirm "the steady improvement in his overall condition." Pictured, the Pope celebrates Mass for several members of the medical staff at the Gemelli Hospital on Oct.16 in Rome.
(Photo by (EV) /Vatican Media/ Abaca/Sipa USA(Sipa via AP Images))Dr.Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora added that the pope’s "post-operative recovery allows him to c...