Pope Leo's first night after surgery 'calm' — Holy See Press Office

The first night that Pope Leo XIV spent in the hospital following surgery was calm, the Holy See Press Office reported.

In the latest update, it was announced that Pope Leo XIV’s first night in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital was calm."

The Pontiff was diagnosed with lung cancer after surgeons removed a part of his right lung on Tuesday, the Vatican said in a medical bulletin.

Medical Bulletin, as of October 13, 2026, Dr Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora issued a joint statement regarding the operation:

The Holy Father underwent thoracic surgery as scheduled.

To ensure a radical procedure, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique. The intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected by the pre-operative tests.

The Holy Father was in the operating theatre for approximately three hours; the operation itself lasted about ninety minutes. The operation was successful and there were no complications.

Following the operation, the Pope woke up normally and, after a brief period of observation, returned to his room on the tenth floor.

The surgical team was led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, assisted by Professor Elisa Meacci, Dr Maria Teresa Congedo and Dr Leonardo Petracca Caravella.

The anaesthesia team consisted of Professor Massimo Antonelli, Dr Giovanni Punzo and Dr Giuseppe Bello.

Further information is expected late Tuesday, the Holy See Press Office also said.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle will preside over a Mass this afternoon in St. Peter’s Square, in place of Pope Leo XIV, as the pontiff recovers from surgery and a subsequent hospital stay. — BAP, GMA News