Just days after undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung, Pope Leo XIV stood at the altar of Gemelli Hospital in Rome and celebrated Mass — a visible sign that his recovery is progressing faster than many had anticipated. The Vatican released the first photographs of the pontiff since his hospitalization, showing him dressed in green liturgical vestments and fully engaged in the Eucharistic celebration.
The images, two in total, show the Holy Father with hands joined in prayer and presiding at the moment of consecration, with his personal secretary standing at his right side. According to Vatican sources, the pope distributed Communion himself during the Friday, Oct. 16 Mass — a step beyond his previous days in the hospital, when he had only concelebrated with his close collaborators. Members of the hospital’s medical and nursing staff, as well as Vatican gendarmes providing security, were also present.
In his homily, the pope used the occasion to express gratitude to those caring for him and for patients throughout the facility. The Holy See Press Office released a statement noting that
“in his homily, the pope thanked all healthcare personnel — doctors, nurses and nursing assistants — for the work they carry out every day caring for the sick and for those in fragile conditions, and in particular for everything they have done and continue to do for him.”
A medical bulletin released the same day by the pope’s personal physician, Luigi Carbone, and his surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, confirmed that the pontiff
“underwent blood tests and a chest X-ray, the results of which confirmed the steady improvement in his overall condition.”
Respiratory physiotherapy has continued, and doctors noted that his
“favorable postoperative recovery allows him to carry out his normal daily activities with complete autonomy.”
Looking ahead, Vatican sources indicated that Pope Leo XIV is expected to publicly lead the Angelus prayer this Sunday, though it has not yet been decided whether that will take place at Gemelli Hospital or back at the Vatican. All papal appointments through Oct. 20 have been canceled, though the Vatican has not ruled out an earlier discharge. Doctors currently expect the pope to be released from the hospital by the following Tuesday. The Vatican secretary of state also noted Thursday that the pontiff may have to “adjust his pontificate if it becomes necessary.”
Letters from Young Patients Reach the Pope’s Room
While the pope was celebrating Mass, a different kind of communion was taking place just floors away. Children receiving treatment in Gemelli Hospital’s pediatric oncology department sent hand-written letters and drawings to Pope Leo XIV, sharing their own experiences of illness and offering him their prayers.
Among them was Angelo, a 7-year-old boy from Taurisano, in Italy’s Lecce province, who has been hospitalized for 36 days following head surgery. In his letter, Angelo noted that he, too, is being treated on the 10th floor of the same hospital.
“My mom and I pray for you every night,”
he wrote, before wishing the pope a speedy recovery. He included a drawing of a large yellow sun and birds flying over an open meadow.
Another letter came from Maria Graziela, the mother of Eleonora, a girl who was treated in the hospital’s neurosurgery and oncology units and has since recovered. Drawing on her family’s own journey through serious illness, she wrote with confidence:
“Faith moves mountains,”
and expressed her belief that
“God has heard our prayers.”
She added:
“Pope Leo, our prayers are for you. May God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the guardian angels always protect you.”
An 18-year-old named Giorgia also wrote to the pope, reflecting on how illness had reshaped her sense of self. Independent by nature and passionate about travel, she acknowledged the hard lesson of vulnerability:
“it has been difficult to go from depending solely on my own strength to having to depend on others.”
But her experience also gave her a new sense of purpose.
“If there is one thing I want to do in life, it is save other people’s lives. I want to be like the doctors who are saving mine,”
she wrote.
Giorgia closed her letter with a shared prayer and a promise:
“I pray to God that we may both be healed, and I ask you to pray with me,”
expressing her belief that
“better days will come.”
She assured the pope that
“we are united in prayer, for ourselves and for all those who are going through the same situation.”
For more on Pope Leo XIV’s health and recovery, including his message sent from the hospital to a Vatican conference, coverage continues to follow the pontiff’s progress. This story was first published by EWTN News Español and translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
