Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in hospital after lung cancer surgery

The 71‑year‑old pontiff presided over a makeshift chapel, thanked staff and is slated to appear publicly on Sunday.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:15:35 GMT

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass on Friday, Oct. 16, at Rome's Gemelli Hospital where he is recovering from lung cancer surgery, according to three Vatican‑linked outlets.

What happened

The Vatican released two photographs showing the pope standing in green vestments before a makeshift altar on the hospital's 10th floor. He conducted the liturgy alone, distributed Communion to medical personnel and Vatican gendarmes, and delivered a short homily. The ceremony was attended by his personal secretary, a Peruvian priest, and members of the hospital staff, nursing team and police.

What the reports add

Gulf News noted that the images showed the pope "standing up in his priestly vestments" and highlighted a medical update signed by Dr. Luigi Carbone and Dr. Stefano Margaritora confirming "continued improvement" in his condition. France 24 added that the Vatican press office said the pope thanked the staff for "their service and their closeness to people, for their care of people's fragility" and mentioned the presence of police. The Independent reported that spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope thanked the staff "for the work they do every day taking care of the sick in their fragility, and in a particular way what they had done for him," and confirmed the pope will make his first public appearance on Sunday to deliver the traditional noontime prayer.

What was said

"His post‑operative recovery allows him to carry out his normal daily activities completely on his own," the medical update read, as reported by Gulf News and the Independent. The Vatican press office, cited by France 24, said the pope "thanked all the staff, doctors, nurses, orderlies, for their service and their closeness to people, for their care of people's fragility, and in particular, evidently, for the care, attention, and treatment given to him in these days." Matteo Bruni, the Vatican spokesperson, told the Independent that the pope thanked the hospital personnel for "the work they do every day taking care of the sick in their fragility, and in a particular way what they had done for him."

How it came about

The Mass follows Pope Leo XIV’s lung surgery on Oct. 13, when the lower lobe of his right lung was removed after doctors identified a suspected cancerous nodule. Earlier coverage by Felo News detailed the scheduled operation (pope-leo-xiv-lung-surgery) and the pope’s diagnosis announced on Oct. 15 (pope-leo-xiv-cancer-diagnosis). On Oct. 15 the pontiff also resumed limited duties, reading documents and meeting the under‑secretary of state (pope-leo-xiv-resumes-duties). The current ceremony demonstrates his ongoing recovery and precedes his planned public appearance on Sunday.

Key facts

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Oct. 16. (gulfnews.com)
Doctors confirmed continued improvement in his post‑operative recovery. (gulfnews.com)
The pope thanked hospital staff and police during the Mass. (france24.com)
He is scheduled to make his first public appearance on Sunday to deliver the noontime prayer. (independent.co.uk)

Where accounts differ

Name of the pope's personal secretary: Edgard Rimaycuna (gulfnews.com); Edgard Rimaycuna (france24.com); Monsignor Edgard Iván Rimaycuna Inga (independent.co.uk)