Pope Leo plans his first public appearance on Sunday after lung cancer surgery

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Pope Leo XIV is recovering well in a Rome hospital after surgery for lung cancer, his doctors said on Friday, and the Vatican says he will make his first public appearance since the operation on Sunday.

Leo, 71, had part of his right lung removed on Tuesday at Gemelli Hospital. In their latest update, his medical team said a blood test and a chest scan showed steady improvement and that he can now carry out normal daily activities with full independence.

The Vatican also released the first photos of Leo since the surgery. They show him celebrating Mass and standing without help inside the hospital. On Sunday he is expected to lead the traditional noon prayer.

His doctors say the operation went well and without complications, but they have not said how large the tumor was or whether the cancer had reached nearby lymph nodes. Those details matter a great deal for his outlook. The Vatican has not given a date for his release, though it earlier suggested recovery would take about a week.

Leo, who was elected in May 2025, is still working from his hospital room. On Friday he spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin and pressed for a ceasefire so food and aid could reach the occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky. Plans for his trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17 are going ahead.