One day after doctors removed part of Pope Leo XIV’s right lung, the Vatican has delivered the update millions of Catholics were praying to hear.
The Pope is back on his feet.
He has begun walking in his hospital room, resumed a normal diet and started respiratory physical therapy following Tuesday’s operation at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.
His doctors say the recovery is proceeding as expected.
Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora have provided the following update on the Pope’s postoperative recovery:
This morning, the Holy Father underwent the blood tests and chest X-ray scheduled after surgery. The results confirm that his postoperative recovery is… pic.twitter.com/RvbHV84JpJ
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) October 14, 2026
The new report is genuinely encouraging, but it should be read with the seriousness the moment deserves.
This was not a routine procedure. During the operation, doctors removed the lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung.
An examination of the tissue performed during surgery confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, the diagnosis his medical team had suspected before the operation.
What the Doctors Found
According to Vatican News, the surgery itself lasted about 90 minutes, while Pope Leo spent roughly three hours in the operating room at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
Doctors used a video-assisted technique to remove the lower lobe of the right lung, a step they said was necessary to ensure a radical resection. An immediate histological examination of the removed tissue confirmed the suspected adenocarcinoma diagnosis.
The medical team described the operation as successful and said there were no complications. The Pope woke normally, spent a brief period under observation and then returned to his room on the hospital’s 10th floor.
He asked for dinner that evening and spent time with his secretaries and other Vatican staff. The Vatican has not changed its earlier estimate that he will remain hospitalized for about one week.
The procedure took place Tuesday afternoon under the direction of Professor Stefano Margaritora, head of thoracic surgery at Gemelli. Dr. Luigi Carbone, who leads the Vatican’s health and hygiene office, joined him in signing the medical update.
More analysis of the removed tissue is still expected in the days ahead. A successful operation and a promising first day of recovery do not settle every medical question.
The facts released Wednesday are still moving in the right direction.
Walking, Eating and in Good Spirits
The Vatican’s afternoon bulletin said Pope Leo underwent scheduled blood tests and a chest X-ray Wednesday morning. The results were within the normal range for this kind of operation.
He then began respiratory therapy and walked around his room. He ate both breakfast and lunch, returning to a regular diet.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, said the Pope was in good spirits.
Pope Leo XIV’s recovery is going as expected after Oct. 13 surgery to remove a cancerous lung tumor, the Vatican said. Blood tests and a chest X-ray showed normal postoperative results. The pope has begun respiratory therapy, walked around his room and resumed his regular diet. pic.twitter.com/krH2OlToh9
— Catholic News Service (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 14, 2026
Those details may sound ordinary until you remember the context.
Just days ago, Pope Leo told the faithful gathered for the Angelus that doctors had discovered a small, localized nodule in his lung. He said it had been found at a very early stage and that he would follow his doctors’ recommendation to have it removed.
In an October 11 report, Vatican News recounted how Pope Leo told the crowd that the nodule had been detected during recent medical examinations. He described it as small, caught at a very early stage and well localized.
The Pope said his doctors believed surgery was the best course and that he had decided to follow their advice. He thanked people for their spiritual closeness and entrusted himself to their prayers.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said at the time that the procedure was scheduled for early in the week and that the expected postoperative recovery would be about seven days. Three days later, the timetable remains unchanged.
That combination of candor and calm set the tone for everything that followed. The Pope did not minimize the diagnosis or hide behind vague language.
He told the Church what doctors had found, explained what came next and asked for prayer.
Now the first full day after surgery has brought concrete signs of progress.
A Wave of Prayer From America
The news quickly drew a personal message from Vice President JD Vance, the highest-ranking Catholic in the Trump administration.
Our family continues to pray for the good health and full recovery of Pope Leo XIV. May God grant him strength as he works to get better. I hope he knows that millions of American Christians are thinking about him.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 14, 2026
Vance’s words captured what many people, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, are feeling right now.
The papacy carries enormous spiritual responsibility. It also rests on the shoulders of a human being who has just come through major surgery and now faces the slow work of healing.
For the moment, that work appears to be going according to plan.
There will be more test results, more medical bulletins and more questions. The Vatican should continue giving the public direct, useful updates rather than allowing rumors to fill the silence.
Wednesday’s report did exactly that.
Pope Leo is walking and eating. His early tests look normal for the operation he underwent, and his doctors say his recovery is on course.
More medical news will come.
It is, however, very good news for its first chapter.
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.
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