Pope Leo XIV is recovering as expected one day after undergoing surgery for lung cancer, the Vatican said on Wednesday, according to Chosunbiz.
The 71-year-old pontiff was able to walk in his hospital room and ate breakfast and lunch normally, the Vatican said in a statement carried by its news outlet, Vatican News. Medical staff reported that blood tests and a chest X-ray taken that morning showed recovery proceeding on a normal course, with all readings falling within the range anticipated for this type of operation.
The pope underwent surgery on Tuesday at Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. The procedure lasted about 90 minutes, and he spent roughly three hours in the operating room in total. The Vatican said the surgery was completed successfully without complications.
According to Chosunbiz, the pope began walking inside his room after receiving respiratory physiotherapy. He spent the first night after the operation peacefully.
Why it matters
The health of a sitting pope draws attention far beyond the Catholic Church, and Leo XIV's case is being watched closely both for what it says about his own condition and for how the Vatican has chosen to communicate it.
The disclosure of his diagnosis and treatment has been unusually open by the standards of the Holy See. The pope himself announced on October 11 that a nodule had been found in his lung and that he would undergo surgery. The Vatican then released details of the operation and follow-up updates on his recovery in quick succession.
The Associated Press assessed this sequence as a break with the Vatican's traditional secrecy, according to Chosunbiz. Instead of withholding information about the pope's health, the Holy See made public both the discovery of the nodule and the plan to operate.
What the surgery found
A biopsy performed during the operation confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, the diagnosis that had been suspected in earlier tests.
Lung adenocarcinoma is a cancer that begins in the glandular cells of the lung and is among the most common forms of lung cancer. The Dong-A Ilbo, another Korean outlet, published an explainer on the disease in the wake of the diagnosis.
The Vatican has not released further details about the stage of the cancer or any additional treatment planned beyond the surgery.
Schedule cleared, trip in question
The Vatican has canceled the pope's official audiences through October 20 to allow him time to recover. Doctors expect him to remain in the hospital for about a week so they can monitor his progress.
A planned trip to South America from November 6 to 17 has become uncertain. The pope was scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, taking part in roughly 50 events and delivering 36 speeches. The Vatican has not officially announced any change to the itinerary, though Chosunbiz reports that adjustments are seen as possible depending on how his recovery goes.
What to watch: whether the Vatican confirms or revises the November trip, and whether further updates on the pope's condition are released as his hospital stay continues.
