Pope pictured for first time since surgery and cancer diagnosis

What the report says

Pope Leo XIV has been shown in public for the first time since undergoing lung surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, in images released by the Vatican and reported by BBC World News. The photos, taken on Friday, show the 71-year-old pontiff celebrating Mass from the hospital and greeting medical staff after the procedure.

According to the BBC’s report, the Pope was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma after surgery on Tuesday afternoon. The Vatican said the operation was successful and completed without complications. It said the whole lower lobe of his right lung was removed to make the procedure more thorough, and that he later woke normally, spent a peaceful night, and remained in hospital for recovery.

Doctors said tests had shown steady improvement in his condition, and a chest X-ray indicated good recovery of the operated lung. The Vatican has also said the Pope had not shown symptoms before the operation, and that the nodule had been found at an early stage. In general terms, lung surgery and cancer treatment can prompt close monitoring and recovery time, but BBC World News did not report a longer-term prognosis in this article.

The development matters because the Pope is the public face of the Catholic Church, and any extended illness can raise questions about his schedule and the Vatican’s near-term plans.