Doctors say Pope Leo XIV’s recovery from surgery to remove a cancerous mass in his lungs is proceeding normally, a day after the operation left Catholics worldwide weighing what the 71-year-old pontiff’s diagnosis means for the church, according to The Associated Press.
Leo underwent the surgery on Tuesday after a cancerous mass was discovered in his lungs. The procedure followed preoperative tests that included a biopsy performed under general anesthesia during a secret hospital visit and a PET scan, the AP reported.
Pope Leo XIV Cancer Surgery Recovery Details
By Wednesday, doctors said the pope’s recovery was going as expected. “He got out of bed and had breakfast,” doctors said, according to the AP. Leo also walked around his hospital room, celebrated Mass and completed a session of respiratory physiotherapy that day.
The quick return to light activity stands in contrast to the circumstances that led to his hospitalization in the first place. Before the diagnosis, Leo had been known for a notably active routine, bounding up stairs at St. Peter’s Square and playing tennis and swimming on a weekly basis, the AP reported.
What The Diagnosis Means For Catholics
Leo was elected pope in 2025 at age 69, succeeding Pope Francis in part because he was viewed as younger and healthier and capable of stabilizing the church, according to the AP. The cancer diagnosis has prompted theologians to reconsider that narrative.
Massimo Faggioli, a theologian at Villanova University, said the diagnosis raises questions about the investment people have placed in Leo’s papacy, pointing to how strongly the idea of the survivor resonates in culture, the AP reported.
Natalia Imperatori-Lee, an associate professor of theology at Fordham University, offered a different reading. She said there is something spiritually meaningful about the pope now standing among the fragile and vulnerable, a group he has emphasized throughout his ministry, according to the AP.
Tiziano Perrini, a Roman who has been praying for the pope at Gemelli hospital, told the AP that Leo has remained serene, kind and joyful despite the diagnosis, adding that his demeanor has made followers feel closer to him.
Background And Context
The health scare echoes a broader history of scrutiny over papal fitness. Pope Benedict XVI was 78 when he was elected in 2005 and retired eight years later, saying he could no longer continue in the role, the AP reported.
Leo’s own recent activities had suggested a vigorous pace befitting a younger pope. On Sept. 26, he traveled to the shrine at Lourdes and visited the Grotto of the Apparitions, where he performed the traditional three gestures of a Lourdes pilgrim seeking a cure: drinking from the springs, lighting a candle and touching the rock, according to the AP.
What’s Next
No Vatican statement beyond confirmation of the surgery and the doctors’ update on his condition has been reported. Further details on the specific type of cancer, the pope’s prognosis or any changes to his public schedule have not been disclosed as of the latest report from the AP.
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