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If the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil.Ps 127:1

Vatican Surgery of Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass at Gemelli Hospital

Catholic IntelligenceUpdated 1 min read

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in a room on the 10th floor of Gemelli Hospital in Rome on October 16, 2026, to thank medical staff for their care. The pontiff, who is recovering from lung surgery and a cancer diagnosis on October 13, celebrated the liturgy with off-duty medical workers and members of the Vatican Gendarmerie. During his homily, the pope expressed gratitude to doctors, nurses, and orderlies for their daily work with the sick and for their specific care for him.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni stated that the pope remained in good spirits and distributed communion during the Mass. While the pope is receiving physiotherapy and can perform normal daily activities independently, Bruni noted that there is currently no confirmed date for his discharge from the hospital.

In a joint statement, the pope's personal doctor, Luigi Carbone, and chief surgeon Stefano Margaritora reported that recent blood tests and a chest X-ray confirmed a steady improvement in the pope's general condition. Following the Mass, the pope received visits from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the dean of the College of Cardinals, and Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the papal vicar for Rome.

AI-assisted briefing based on the sources below.

6 sources40 reports15 languages

Read it in English · Español · 中文 · 한국어 · ትግርኛ · עברית · Latviešu · Polski · Italiano · Magyar · HY · Русский · Slovenščina · አማርኛ · Kiswahili

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Earlier version, Sunday 18 October

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass at hospital

Earlier version, Sunday 18 October

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for Gemelli Hospital staff

How the coverage unfolded

  1. Oct 16, 6:49 AM Catholic News Agency Vatican releases first photos of Pope Leo XIV following surgery
  2. Oct 16, 7:29 AM The Catholic Telegraph Vatican releases first photos of Pope Leo XIV celebrating Mass at hospital
  3. Oct 16, 7:47 AM OSV News Vatican releases first photos of Pope Leo XIV celebrating Mass at hospital
  4. Oct 16, 1:49 PM ACI Africa Vatican Releases First Photos of Pope Leo XIV Following Surgery
  5. Oct 16, 6:48 AM National Catholic Register Vatican Releases First Photos of Pope Leo XIV Following Surgery
  6. Oct 16, 8:13 AM Catholic Review Vatican releases first photos of Pope Leo XIV celebrating Mass at hospital
  7. Oct 16, 8:28 AM Catholic Star Herald Vatican releases first photos of Pope Leo XIV following surgery
  8. Oct 16, 9:07 AM The Tablet Vatican Releases First Photos of Pope Leo XIV Celebrating Mass at Gemelli Hospital
  9. Oct 16, 8:54 AM InfoVaticana Español León XIV celebra misa en el Gemelli ante el personal sanitario en sus primeras fotos tras la operación
  10. Oct 16, 8:34 AM The Catholic Spirit Vatican releases first photos of Pope Leo XIV celebrating Mass at hospital
  11. Oct 16, 10:54 AM The Leaven Vatican releases first photos of Pope Leo XIV celebrating Mass at hospital
  12. Oct 16, 10:47 AM The Monitor Vatican releases first photos of Pope Leo XIV celebrating Mass at hospital
  13. Oct 16, 8:21 AM Angelus News Vatican releases first photos of Pope Leo XIV since surgery, cancer diagnosis
  14. Oct 16, 7:45 AM America First photos of Pope Leo since surgery released by the Vatican
  15. Oct 16, 7:30 AM The Catholic Sun Vatican releases first photos of Pope Leo XIV celebrating Mass at hospital
  16. Oct 16, 5:52 AM ACI Prensa Español El Vaticano publica las primeras fotos del Papa León XIV tras su operación
  17. Oct 16, 5:57 AM Catholic New York Pope Continues ‘Steady Improvement,’ Celebrates Mass for Gemelli Staff
  18. Oct 16, 5:11 AM Vatican News Pope continues 'steady improvement,' celebrates Mass for Gemelli staff
  19. Oct 16, 5:55 AM Vatican News 中文 教宗术后持续好转，为杰梅利医院人员做弥撒并道谢
  20. Oct 16, 6:12 AM Crux First images released of Pope Leo celebrating Mass at hospital after cancer surgery
  21. Oct 16, 7:31 AM Vatican News 한국어 제멜리 병원 입원 중인 교황, 지속적인 회복세… 미사 집전하며 치료진에 감사
  22. Oct 16, 7:53 AM Vatican News ትግርኛ ር.ሊ.ጳ. 'ቀጻሊ ምምሕያሽ' የርእዩ ኣለዉ፡ ንሰራሕተይናታት ቤት ህክምና ጀመሊ ቅዳሴ ኣዕሪጎም
  23. Oct 16, 9:08 AM National Catholic Reporter First images released of Pope Leo after cancer surgery, celebrating Mass at hospital
  24. Oct 16, 9:39 AM Vatican News עברית מצבו של האפיפיור ממשיך להשתפר: ערך את סעודת האדון למען צוות בית החולים ג'מלי
  25. Oct 16, 5:20 AM Vatican News Latviešu Džemelli slimnīca: izmeklējumi apstiprina pāvesta veselības stāvokļa uzlabošanos
  26. Oct 16, 10:00 PM Niedziela Polski Badania potwierdziły poprawę stanu zdrowia Papieża
  27. Oct 16, 5:01 AM Vatican News Polski Gemelli: badania potwierdziły poprawę stanu zdrowia Papieża
  28. Oct 16, 7:47 AM RomaSette Italiano Il Papa al Gemelli «in costante miglioramento»
  29. Oct 16, 5:44 AM Magyar Kurír Magyar Leó pápa szentmisét mutatott be a Gemelli-kórházban és köszönetet mondott az ott dolgozóknak
  30. Oct 16, 5:37 AM Vatican News HY Լեւոն ԺԴ. Պապին առողջական վիճակը կը շարունակէ բարելաւուիլ․ Ճեմելիի հիւանդանոցին մէջ պատարագ մատուցեց եւ շնորհակալութիւն յայտնեց բժշկական ան…
  31. Oct 16, 5:45 AM Vatican News Русский Папа совершил Св. Мессу в больнице «Джемелли»
  32. Oct 16, 5:38 AM Vatican News Slovenščina Papež v petek ob poldne daroval sveto mašo v zahvalo za zaposlene v Gemelli
  33. Oct 16, 6:08 AM Vatican News አማርኛ የር.ሊ.ጳ. ሊዮ 'ጤና ያልተቋረጠ መሻሻል ማሳየት ቀጥሏል' ፣ መሥዋዕተ ቅዳሴ አሳርገዋል!
  34. Oct 16, 11:00 AM Deon Polski Papież w Poliklinice Gemelli: Msza św. i apel o pokój
  35. Oct 16, 5:21 AM Famiglia Cristiana Italiano Salute Papa. Celebra messa, prima foto dopo il ricovero
  36. Oct 16, 5:48 AM Stacja7 Polski Jest pierwsze zdjęcie papieża ze szpitala! W południe odprawił Mszę św.
  37. Oct 16, 4:11 AM Diocese of Hallam Pope continues ‘steady improvement,’ celebrates Mass for Gemelli staff
  38. Oct 16, 6:03 AM Vatican News Kiswahili Hali ya Papa Leo XIV inaendelea kuboreka huko Hospitali,Gemelli
  39. Oct 16, 5:00 PM Abouna Pope continues 'steady improvement,' celebrates Mass for Gemelli staff
  40. Oct 17, 12:10 AM Catholic World News Pope continues 'steady improvement,' celebrates Mass for hospital staff (Vatican News)

More on Pope Leo XIV

  1. Oct 22, 2:30 PM PT · 46 sources Pope Leo XIV's doctors confirm no further treatment is necessary
  2. Oct 22, 2:30 PM PT · 33 sources Pope Leo XIV needs no further treatment after lung cancer surgery
  3. Oct 22, 2:30 PM PT · 57 sources Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus
  4. Oct 22, 1:21 PM PT Chicago artist creates Marian icon for Pope Leo XIV, who will keep the image in his bedroom
  5. Oct 22, 1:17 PM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV is cancer-free
  6. Oct 22, 1:00 PM PT · 11 sources Pope Leo XIV urges Catholic schools to help young people
  7. Oct 22, 12:43 PM PT · 25 sources Pope Leo XIV meets American Jewish Committee
  8. Oct 22, 12:12 PM PT · 11 sources Pope Leo XIV invites young people to Seoul for WYD 2027
  9. Oct 22, 12:11 PM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Argentina
  10. Oct 22, 11:21 AM PT · 25 sources Pope Leo XIV invites youth to Seoul for World Youth Day 2027
  11. Oct 22, 10:39 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV to hold private audience with Villanova, Notre Dame teams
  12. Oct 22, 10:13 AM PT · 5 sources Pope Leo XIV invites 2027 World Youth Day participants
  13. Oct 22, 9:05 AM PT Pope Leo XIV and the Pressure to Be Perfect: “Many Give Up Before Even Trying”
  14. Oct 22, 8:30 AM PT A Global Symphony of Prayer: 16 Readers Share Ways They Prayed for Pope Leo XIV
  15. Oct 22, 8:20 AM PT · 6 sources Pope Leo XIV invites young people to Seoul for WYD 2027
  16. Oct 22, 8:07 AM PT · 33 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints 24 new members to International Theological Commission
  17. Oct 22, 8:01 AM PT · 7 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints Leandro Machado Silvestre as bishop of Guajará-Mirim
  18. Oct 22, 8:01 AM PT · 21 sources Pope Leo XIV leads General Audience on October 21, 2026, emphasizing marriage and family
  19. Oct 22, 8:01 AM PT · 23 sources Pope Leo XIV receives participants in Holiness in History conference
  20. Oct 22, 7:28 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas presented to Dutch and Flemish bishops
  21. Oct 22, 6:18 AM PT · 61 sources Pope Leo XIV speaks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
  22. Oct 22, 5:20 AM PT · 9 sources Pope Leo XIV backs Synod on Synodality
  23. Oct 22, 4:30 AM PT · 3 sources COMECE bishops send message of prayer and support to Pope Leo XIV
  24. Oct 22, 4:01 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV receives participants of Congress on Pastoral Care in Schools and Universities
  25. Oct 22, 3:55 AM PT · 25 sources Pope Leo XIV emphasizes protecting marriage at general audience

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