Pope Leo left hospital in Rome on Saturday afternoon to return to the Vatican following surgery for lung cancer four days ago.

The 71-year-old walked unaided to his waiting car, stopping to speak to well-wishers outside Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.

His doctors had earlier said he was well enough to return home after they carried out the latest blood tests and chest imaging.

The pope, who had an operation on Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, will hold his first public engagement since surgery on Sunday when he leads weekly prayers with pilgrims in St Peter’s Square at noon (10am GMT).

Leo has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. The diagnosis for a pope known to be relatively young and energetic and who was elected only in May 2025 caused shock and raised questions about the future shape of his papacy as he deals with the illness.

The pope’s doctors have said his surgery was completed successfully, without complications. They have not yet disclosed the size of the tumour or whether the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes, key factors in determining prognosis.