Pope leaves hospital following cancer surgery

 

TT-AFP

 

Published 16.05

  

Pope Leo XIV leaves the Agostino Gemelli clinic, accompanied by surgeon Stefano Margheritora and others. Photo: Alessandra Tarantino / AP / TT

Pope Leo XIV returned to the Vatican on Saturday after being discharged from the hospital where he underwent cancer surgery.

The 71-year-old Pope spent five days in the hospital following the sudden announcement that lung surgery was necessary. He had been diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer.

A large crowd gathered outside the Agostino Gemelli hospital in Rome, greeting the Pope with cheers and applause before he stepped into a waiting car that took him back to the Vatican.