Pope Leo XIV left Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday, four days after undergoing surgery for lung cancer, as the 71-year-old pontiff began recovering ahead of a demanding schedule that includes an international trip in November.

Dozens of well-wishers gathered to greet Leo as he walked out of the hospital and entered a waiting vehicle to return to the Vatican. The discharge came earlier than the Vatican’s original estimate of a weeklong hospital stay.

Doctors removed the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung after identifying a suspected cancerous nodule. The surgery confirmed that Leo had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.

In a statement, the pope’s personal physician and surgeon said Leo was “deemed fit for discharge from the hospital” following blood tests, a chest X-ray conducted Saturday morning and an assessment of his overall clinical condition.

The Vatican had canceled the pope’s scheduled audiences through Tuesday to allow time for recovery. Although his discharge came earlier than initially anticipated, doctors are still awaiting additional test results to determine the cancer’s precise molecular and genetic characteristics, whether it has spread beyond the removed lung lobe and whether further treatment will be necessary.

Leo’s next major commitment is a planned trip to Latin America from November 6-17. The journey is expected to involve a dozen flights and two helicopter trips, leaving the pontiff roughly three weeks to recover before the demanding itinerary begins.

The Vatican has signaled that preparations for the trip are continuing, publishing on Friday the names of journalists accredited to travel aboard the papal plane. Oncology surgeons have indicated that patients may generally be cleared to fly after approximately three weeks, depending on their recovery and individual medical circumstances.

Whether Leo will be able to complete the full itinerary will depend on his progress and the medical assessments ahead. His early discharge is an encouraging development, but the pending test results will help determine the next steps in his cancer treatment and recovery.