Pope Leo walks unaided out of a Rome hospital just four days after surgery to remove his lung cancer

His surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, says there are 'no clinical reasons' to scrap a gruelling 6-17 November tour of Uruguay, Peru and Argentina. At Gemelli Hospital, surgeons excised the right lung's lower lobe on Tuesday, a procedure that confirmed adenocarcinoma. He was discharged well ahead of the week-long stay initially expected and is due to lead Sunday's Angelus from the papal apartment window.

A 13-year-old Ukrainian girl handed him a homemade papal doll that helped her beat cancer.

Whether the cancer has spread remains unknown, with results yet to be announced.

From hospital he phoned Vladimir Putin, urging a humanitarian ceasefire in occupied Oleshky.