Pope Leo But his improved health did not dispel questions about the impact of the disease on the future of his papacy, his busy schedule, and his ability to continue leading the Catholic Church at the same pace.
The Vatican announced that the 71-year-old Pope will leave Gemelli Hospital in the Italian capital, Rome, on Saturday afternoon, after blood tests and chest x-rays showed that his health condition allows him to return to his residence.
He is scheduled to recite the Angelus prayer on Sunday from the window of his apartment in the Vatican in front of crowds in St. Peter's Square, in his first public appearance since undergoing surgery.
On Tuesday, the Pope underwent an operation that lasted about 90 minutes, during which the lower lobe of his right lung was removed, after tissue examinations confirmed that he had lung adenocarcinoma, which is the most common type of lung cancer.
His doctors said that the surgery was successful and that there were no complications, but they have not yet revealed the size of the tumor or whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, which are two essential factors in determining the stage of the disease and expectations regarding its development.
On Friday, the Vatican published the first photos of the Pope since the surgery, in which he appeared standing without assistance and celebrating Mass inside the hospital. He also made a phone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, indicating that he will continue to perform some of his duties during the recovery period.
News of the Pope's illness caused shock among the Catholic Church, especially since he was elected in May 2025, and was known for his physical activity and keenness to exercise, including playing tennis weekly.
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, who has been in charge of external relations at the Vatican since 2014, told the BBC that the pope's illness was a "turning point" that could change the nature of his work.
In an interview with "The Sunday Program" on BBC Radio 4, Gallagher said that church officials may have been accustomed to viewing Pope Leo as a healthy person, in a way that made them overlook that he was vulnerable to illness and aging like others.
He added that the last years of the papacy of his predecessor, Francis, witnessed a deterioration in his health and he was forced to use a wheelchair, while Leo XIV appeared in a different way, as he appeared athletic and enjoyed excellent health.
Gallagher said that this perception has changed now, noting that the Pope’s new health status may impose adjustments to his activity.
He expressed his concern about the Pope's illness, but expressed hope that he would recover, as many who had gone through similar health experiences had recovered.
He also revealed that the Pope has already begun thinking about possible visits during the year 2027, including a visit to the United Kingdom, but these plans are still in the stage of studying the possibilities.
Aleem Maqbool, the BBC's religious affairs editor, believes that the diagnosis was particularly hard on Catholics, not only because of the nature of the disease, but also because the Pope had not until recently shown clear signs of imminent risks to his health.
Maqbool points out that the Vatican has come a long way in being transparent about the health of popes compared to the secrecy that prevailed in the past, but that did not make believers ready to receive news that Leo XIV had cancer and that a large part of one of his lungs had been removed.
Maqbool points out that Pope Francis assumed his position aware of the health challenges he faced throughout his life, and he believed at the beginning of his papacy that he might only spend a few years in office. This was reflected, according to Maqbool, in his effort to make rapid changes within the church, some of which were considered radical.
As for Leo Despite this gradual approach, the new pope has emerged, according to Maqbool, as an influential voice on the international scene, especially in his positions opposing wars, his defense of the dignity of immigrants, and his warnings about the dangers of artificial intelligence.
He also succeeded to some extent in bringing the progressive and conservative trends within the church closer together, as the followers of each began to see in his positions what expressed their own orientations.
But his cancer raises the question of whether he will seek to accelerate the changes he deems necessary, or whether he will have to slow down his work to deal with the disease.
However, Maqbool believes that taking sudden radical steps, especially on doctrinal matters, is inconsistent with the cautious and careful approach the Pope has shown so far.
Foreign trips are among the most prominent challenges that the Pope may face during his recovery, especially the trip scheduled to South America between November 6 and 17, which includes Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.
The visit to Peru is of special importance for Leo XIV, who lived there for more than twenty years, during which he worked in the church service before assuming the papacy.
Maqbool had pointed out that the risks of traveling by air after lung surgery, in addition to the high altitudes above sea level at some stations of the trip, may raise doubts about the possibility of it being carried out according to the scheduled schedule.
But the Vatican confirmed on Friday that preparations for the trip are continuing, and published a list of the names of journalists accredited to accompany the Pope.
Meanwhile, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said that the Pope may need to adjust the pace of his activities in the future depending on his health condition.
Publicly stating that the Pope might have to change his agenda is unusual for an official of this level in the Vatican.
According to canon law, the Pope's illness, even if he loses consciousness or becomes unable to make decisions, does not automatically transfer his powers to another person.
The procedures for electing a new pope do not begin until after the death of the pope or his voluntary resignation.
At present, the Vatican has not announced that Leo
While his expected return to the Vatican represents a positive indication of his recovery from the operation, questions regarding the future of his treatment, his ability to maintain his agenda, and the impact of the disease on his leadership orientations, remain without conclusive answers.
