Pope Leo left hospital in Rome on Saturday afternoon to return to the Vatican following surgery for lung cancer four days ago.

“I am better, thank you,” the pope said as he was driven away in a black SUV.

His surgeon, Dr Stefano Margaritora, head of thoracic surgery at Gemelli Hospital, accompanied him to the hospital door as he was formally discharged.

The 71-year-old waved to well-wishers outside as he walked to the waiting vehicle. He briefly stopped when a teenage girl presented him with a homemade papal doll.

His doctors had earlier said he was well enough to return home after they carried out the latest blood tests and chest imaging.

The pope, who had an operation on Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, will hold his first public engagement since surgery on Sunday (Rome time) when he leads weekly prayers with pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square at midday.

Leo has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. The diagnosis for a pope known to be relatively young and energetic and who was elected only in May 2025 caused shock and raised questions about the future shape of his papacy as he deals with the illness.

The pope’s doctors have said his surgery was completed successfully, without complications. They have not yet disclosed the size of the tumour or whether the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes, key factors in determining prognosis.

Reuters and AP

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