The Vatican has released the first images of Pope Leo since his lung cancer surgery, showing the 71-year-old pontiff standing and celebrating Mass in a makeshift chapel at Gemelli Hospital in Rome. The images, distributed on Friday, offered the first visual confirmation that the pope is recovering steadily after having part of his lung removed earlier in the week.
Leo led the midday Mass on Friday in a room on the hospital's 10th floor, a suite of rooms reserved for papal medical treatment. Off-duty medical and nursing staff from Gemelli Hospital attended the service. During his homily, the pope thanked the staff for their work caring for him and for other patients who are sick, according to the Vatican.
The Vatican press office said Leo underwent blood tests and a chest X-ray on Friday morning. Doctors involved in his treatment reported that he is continuing respiratory physiotherapy sessions and that his recovery now allows him to carry out normal daily activities independently. The Vatican added that the pope is completely autonomous in movement and breathing.
Pope Leo will recite the traditional Angelus prayers on Sunday, marking his first public appearance since his treatment. The Vatican has not yet released post-operative test results that would confirm whether the pope is completely cancer free or what further treatment, if any, may be needed.
The news of the pope's diagnosis was met with shock inside the Vatican, where Leo is known as someone physically active and seen to be in good health. His engagements have been cancelled until 20 October, and it remains unclear whether his 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 pope's hospitalization has drawn global attention to the Gemelli Hospital, a major teaching hospital in Rome that has long served as the primary medical facility for popes. The 10th-floor suite where Leo is staying is specially designated for papal admissions, offering privacy and security alongside access to specialized care.
Leo's recovery is being closely monitored by both the Vatican and the broader Catholic world. The release of the images and the decision to have him lead Mass, even in a hospital chapel, signal that his condition is stable enough for limited activity. Yet the absence of definitive cancer-free test results leaves questions about his longer-term health and the schedule of a papacy that has emphasized public engagement.
The Vatican has pledged to provide further updates as they become available. For now, the images of a standing, active pope offer a measure of reassurance to the faithful and to observers who have followed his sudden diagnosis with concern.
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