--- title: "Pope Leo XIV Appears Before Cameras for the First Time After Lung Surgery: Vatican Publishes First Photos" description: "The Vatican has published the first photographs of 71-year-old Pope Leo XIV following surgery to remove cancer from his right lung. The pontiff celebrated Mass at Rome's Gemelli Hospital and thanked the medical staff." date: 2026-10-16T19:28:01.828Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/pope-leo-xiv-first-photos-after-surgery tags: [pope-leo-xiv, vatican, lung-cancer, gemelli-hospital, angelus, rome] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Pope Leo XIV Appears Before Cameras for the First Time After Lung Surgery: Vatican Publishes First Photos ![Pope Leo XIV in green vestments and glasses after lung surgery](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/16/papa-leo-xiv-pervye-foto-posle-operacii/papa-leo-xiv-pervye-foto-posle-operacii-1.webp) ## Key Points - On October 16, 2026, the Vatican published the first photos of Pope Leo XIV after surgery to remove cancer from his right lung. - The pontiff celebrated Mass on the 10th floor of Rome's Gemelli Hospital and expressed gratitude to the medical staff. - Doctors estimate recovery will take about a week; the exact discharge date has not been specified. - The traditional Angelus prayer is expected on October 18; the location—either the hospital or the Apostolic Palace—has not been confirmed. On October 16, 2026, the Vatican published the first official photographs of 71-year-old Pope Leo XIV following surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his right lung. The images, released by the Holy See's press office, capture the pontiff during Mass at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he is undergoing postoperative recovery. These are the first public images of the Pope since his hospitalization. ### Mass on the 10th Floor of the Hospital According to AFP, the published photographs show the Pope in green liturgical vestments standing before an improvised altar in a 10th-floor room at Gemelli Hospital. In two of the pictures, the pontiff looks relaxed and healthy; beside him is his personal secretary, Father Edgar Rimaycuna. The Vatican emphasized that His Holiness celebrated Mass together with the hospital's medical staff and some individuals present in the room. "He expressed gratitude to all the staff, doctors, nurses, and orderlies for their service and care for everyone, for their attention to the vulnerable, and especially for the care, attention, and treatment given to him in recent days," the Vatican press office said in a statement. ### Health Status and Discharge Timeline The Vatican press office has not yet updated the expected discharge date for the Pope, reiterating the doctors' initial statement that his recovery will take about a week. According to Euronews, citing the Vatican, the pontiff's condition continues to improve: the postoperative period is progressing in such a way that he is able to perform daily tasks independently while maintaining a cheerful disposition. ### Diagnosis and Course of Treatment According to media reports, part of the right lung, where adenocarcinoma was diagnosed, was removed during the surgery. The published footage marked the Pope's first public appearance since the intervention and, according to observers, confirmed that he underwent the surgery and is already capable of participating in worship in an inpatient setting. ### Sunday Angelus on October 18 The Pope is expected to lead the traditional Sunday Angelus prayer on October 18. However, a Vatican source has not confirmed whether the pontiff will perform this ritual at Gemelli Hospital or at the Apostolic Palace. Traditionally, every Sunday the Pope reads the Angelus from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter's Square before a crowd of the faithful gathered below. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Первое фото Папы Льва XIV после операции по удалению рака легких.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/hinh-anh-dau-tien-cua-giao-hoang-leo-xiv-sau-phau-thuat-ung-thu-phoi) - Primary source: Mass at Gemelli Hospital on October 16, gratitude to staff, recovery period ~one week, expected Angelus on October 18. - [Видео. Ватикан опубликовал первые фото Папы Льва XIV после операции на лёгком](https://ru.euronews.com/video/2026/10/16/vatican-releases-first-photos-of-pope-leo-xiv-after-lung-tumour-surgery) - Confirms publication of photos, improvement in condition, ability to independently perform daily tasks, cheerful disposition. - [Первые кадры: папа римский показался на публике после операции](https://www.mk.ru/politics/2026/10/16/pervye-kadry-papa-rimskiy-pokazalsya-na-publike-posle-operacii.html) - Clarifies diagnosis — lung adenocarcinoma, removal of part of the right lung. - [Папа Лев XIV 18 октября проведет первую после операции воскресную молитву](https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/9040550) - Confirms the date of the Angelus on October 18 and the uncertainty of the location (palace or hospital). ## FAQ ### When were the first photos of the Pope published after surgery? On October 16, 2026, the Vatican published the first official pictures of Pope Leo XIV following surgery to remove a right lung tumor. ### Where did the Pope celebrate Mass? At Rome's Gemelli Hospital, on the 10th floor, in front of an improvised altar, accompanied by his personal secretary, Father Edgar Rimaycuna. ### When is the Pope expected to be discharged from the hospital? The exact date has not been specified; doctors previously stated that recovery would take about a week. ### Where will the Angelus prayer take place on October 18? The location is unconfirmed: traditionally it is the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter's Square, but a Vatican source did not rule out that the ritual could take place at the hospital.