3 minWorld
Pope Leo Seen Standing and Celebrating Mass in Hospital Chapel After Lung Surgery
The Vatican released the first images of Pope Leo since his lung cancer surgery, showing the 71-year-old standing and celebrating Mass for hospital staff as doctors reported steady improvement and cleared him to lead Sunday prayers.
Pope Leo has been photographed for the first time since undergoing surgery to remove part of his lung, standing and celebrating Mass in a makeshift chapel at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, the Vatican said.
The images, released Friday, show the 71-year-old pontiff leading the midday service with off-duty medical and nursing staff present. According to the Vatican press office, Leo used his homily to thank the hospital workers for the care they provide to him and to other patients, a gesture that underscored the setting of his recovery inside a Catholic-run hospital.
The Mass took place in a room on the hospital's 10th floor, where a suite of rooms is permanently set aside for any pope admitted for medical treatment. The arrangement allowed Leo to resume a central part of his daily routine while remaining under close medical supervision.
In its latest health update, the Vatican said the pope showed «steady improvement» after having part of his lung removed earlier in the week. Doctors reported that he underwent blood tests and a chest X-ray on Friday morning and is continuing respiratory physiotherapy sessions. His recovery, they added, now allows him to carry out normal daily activities independently, and the Vatican described him as completely autonomous in movement and breathing.
The Vatican also announced that Leo will recite the traditional Angelus prayers on Sunday, which would be his first public appearance since his treatment began. The decision to schedule the appearance reflects the pace of his recovery, though post-operative test results confirming whether he is completely cancer free, and what further treatment may be needed, have not yet been released.
The diagnosis has been received with shock inside the Vatican, where Leo is known as a physically active figure who had been seen to be in good health. His public engagements have been cancelled until 20 October, and it remains unclear whether a planned trip to Latin America from 6 to 17 November will take place. The Vatican, however, is continuing preparations for the visit and on Friday posted the list of journalists who would travel with the pope to report on the trip.
The hospital setting has become the focal point of the story. Gemelli Hospital, one of Rome's largest medical centers, has a long tradition of treating popes, and the 10th-floor suite is designed to allow a pontiff to continue limited pastoral duties while receiving care. Leo's decision to celebrate Mass there, rather than remain in seclusion, offered a visible sign of both his condition and his priorities.
For the Vatican, the coming days will be a test of how quickly the pope can return to a normal schedule without compromising his recovery. The Angelus on Sunday will be watched closely as an indicator of his strength, while the unanswered questions about his cancer treatment and the Latin America trip leave a measure of uncertainty over the months ahead.
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