Pope Francis Appears in First Photos Since Cancer Surgery

Pope Francis has been pictured celebrating Mass from his hospital room, marking his first public appearance since undergoing lung surgery and a subsequent cancer diagnosis. The images were released by the Vatican on Friday.

The 71-year-old pontiff had surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon to remove a portion of his right lung. The Vatican stated the procedure was successful and carried out without complications. Doctors later confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.

The photographs show Pope Francis, who was born in Chicago, wearing a green robe and standing behind a makeshift altar on the hospital's tenth floor. The Vatican press office reported that he celebrated Mass with the medical and nursing staff, expressing gratitude for their service.

Physicians attending to the Pope stated on Friday that his general condition had shown steady improvement since the operation. A chest X-ray indicated a good recovery of the operated lung, with the entire lower lobe of his right lung having been removed to ensure the procedure was radical.

Following the surgery, the Pope awoke normally and returned to his room after a brief observation period. The Vatican had previously announced that he had spent a peaceful night at the hospital.

Pope Francis first revealed his need for the operation during his weekly Sunday address, informing the congregation in St. Peter's Square that doctors had detected a "well-contained" nodule on his lung at an early stage. While nodules are common and not always indicative of cancer, subsequent examinations confirmed it was malignant, as initially suspected by pre-operative tests.

The Vatican emphasized that the Pope had not exhibited any symptoms of infection or illness prior to the procedure.