RismadarVoice Reporters
October 16, 2026
Pope Leo XIV has resumed official duties from his hospital room in Rome as he continues recovering from surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his right lung.
The 71-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Church met with Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, a senior Vatican official responsible for administrative affairs, at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Thursday, October 15, as doctors reported encouraging progress in his recovery.
The meeting marked another step towards the pontiff’s return to normal responsibilities following a major surgical procedure carried out on Tuesday, October 13.
According to the Vatican, surgeons removed part of the Pope’s right lung after medical examinations revealed a suspicious nodule. Subsequent examination confirmed that the growth was adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer.
In a medical update, the Pope’s personal physician, Dr Luigi Carbone, and the hospital’s head of thoracic surgery, Dr Stefano Margaritora, disclosed that postoperative examinations showed satisfactory results.
The doctors reported that his chest X-ray indicated encouraging recovery of the operated lung, while other medical assessments remained within normal limits.
They also confirmed that the pontiff had participated in physiotherapy sessions involving full mobility exercises and was independently carrying out his daily activities.
Despite remaining hospitalised, Pope Leo has continued his religious responsibilities, celebrating Mass with other priests in a specially arranged chapel near his room on the hospital’s 10th floor.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that the Pope had celebrated Mass for a second consecutive day while receiving medical care.
Medical specialists are, however, awaiting additional test results to establish the precise molecular characteristics of the cancer and determine whether it has spread beyond the affected lung lobe.
The findings will also help doctors decide whether the pontiff will require further treatment following his surgery.
Before the operation, Pope Leo had maintained a demanding schedule of religious and diplomatic engagements, including a four-day visit to France in September, where he celebrated Mass before a gathering estimated at nearly one million people in Paris.
Attention has now turned to his planned pastoral visit to South America, scheduled for November 6 to 17, with stops expected in Peru, Uruguay and Argentina.
The Vatican has not announced any changes to the itinerary, although uncertainty remains over whether the Pope will be medically fit to undertake the international journey.
Responding to questions about the trip, Bruni referred to the pontiff’s earlier remarks expressing his intention to visit Peru and thanking the faithful for their prayers.
Pope Leo is expected to remain at Gemelli Hospital until at least Tuesday, October 20, as medical personnel continue monitoring his recovery.
The Vatican maintains that his postoperative progress is satisfactory, although decisions concerning further treatment and his return to a full schedule will depend on the outcome of ongoing medical assessments.
