Pope Leo XIV has been discharged from Gemelli Hospital. The surgeon said: ‘There is no reason why he should not make the trip to South America’
Following an assessment of his clinical condition, the Holy Father was deemed fit to be discharged
Key points
Just four days after being admitted to hospital for an operation on his right lung, Pope Leone, travelling in a Ford SUV with the registration number SCV1, passed through the Porta del Perugino at 3.43 pm after being discharged from the Gemelli Hospital, and thus returned to the Vatican.
Mattarella: warm wishes for a speedy recovery
Your Holiness, I learnt of your resignation this afternoon at the Policlinico Gemelli, just a few days after the operation you underwent. In these circumstances, I once again join the outpouring of messages of support and affection that have been sent to you by ordinary citizens and political leaders from numerous countries.” This was written by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, in a message sent to Pope Leo XIV.
“Expressions of great solidarity towards Your Holiness and widespread messages of good wishes for your health,” emphasised the Head of State, “have united multitudes of people from every corner of the world, and certainly, with particular sensitivity, all the Catholic communities who, grateful for the care provided by the medical and healthcare staff attending to you, also find reassurance in St Augustine’s exhortation to always maintain faith, even in recovery from illness and in overcoming difficulties”.
“With these sentiments, on behalf of the whole of Italia and on my own behalf, I once again extend my warmest wishes for a peaceful recovery and a speedy and full return to health,” concluded Mattarella.
The Pope’s surgeon: the tumour was discovered by chance
“The discovery of the Pope’s malignant lung tumour was entirely by chance, as is unfortunately often the case, because whilst undergoing routine abdominal scans, this small spot was discovered in the chest, at the bases of the lungs. This is quite normal, because when radiological examinations are carried out on the abdomen – given that the diaphragm acts as a sort of parachute – the bases of the lungs are normally visible. But of course, if this small spot had been just a little higher up, it would not have been seen.” These are the words of Professor Stefano Margaritora, the surgeon who operated on Pope Leo XIV’s lung on Tuesday 13 October, in an interview with the Vatican media.
