Pope Leo ‘deemed fit for discharge’ from hospital, doctors say

ROME, October 17 — Pope Leo XIV is set to depart from the Rome hospital where he has been recuperating following lung cancer surgery, the Vatican announced, as medical professionals determined him "fit for discharge". At the age of 71, Pope Leo has been residing at the Gemelli hospital near the Vatican since Tuesday, where doctors successfully removed a portion of his right lung to extract a cancerous tumor.

According to a statement published by the Vatican, doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora stated, "Taking into account the blood tests, the chest X-ray conducted this morning, and assessing the patient's overall condition, the Holy Father has been found fit for discharge." The Vatican confirmed that "Pope Leo XIV will be discharged today from the Gemelli Polyclinic."

Following his discharge, the Pope will exit the hospital in the early afternoon and return to the Vatican. Subsequently, he will recite the Angelus prayer from the window of his papal apartment tomorrow, a tradition typically observed by popes who have been hospitalized at the Gemelli. The Angelus prayer, typically recited by the Pope from the window of the Apostolic Palace, is a moment of spiritual reflection and unity for believers worldwide.