Pope Leo plans Sunday public prayer after lung cancer surgery
The Vatican says Leo plans to deliver the Angelus on 18 October, his first public appearance since surgery. Doctors report steady improvement, but the prayer’s location is undecided.
Pope Leo XIV plans to deliver the traditional noontime Angelus prayer on Sunday, 18 October, the Vatican said on Friday in Rome. It would be his first public appearance since surgery to remove part of his right lung, a step toward resuming public duties as doctors report steady improvement in his recovery.
The Vatican has not specified whether the 71-year-old pontiff will deliver the prayer from St Peter’s Square or the Gemelli hospital where he is recovering. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, said a prayer from the hospital was possible, depending on how Leo recovers after the operation.
What doctors say about Pope Leo’s recovery
Doctors removed the lower lobe of Leo’s right lung on 13 October after he was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a form of lung cancer. In a medical update signed by his personal physician, Dr Luigi Carbone, and Gemelli’s head of thoracic surgery, Dr Stefano Margaritora, they said his recovery now allows him to carry out normal daily activities independently. Blood tests and a chest X-ray confirmed steady improvement, the doctors said.
The Vatican released the first images of Leo since the operation on Friday. They showed him celebrating Mass and standing unaided at the Rome hospital. The Vatican has not announced when he will leave hospital; a spokesman said doctors had previously given a recovery timeframe of about a week.
Doctors have yet to disclose the tumour’s size or whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, according to Al Jazeera’s report. Deutsche Welle reported that biopsy results are awaited to help doctors assess the tumour and whether further treatment may be needed.
November South America trip remains planned
The Vatican said preparations were going forward for Leo’s planned visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from 6 to 17 November. It released the names of journalists accredited to travel with him, Deutsche Welle reported. Whether his recovery will allow the trip to proceed remains unsettled. Parolin said decisions about Leo’s return to his usual schedule would depend on his condition and medical advice.
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Sources and context
- Pope Leo to make public appearance Sunday, first since cancer surgeryAl Jazeera; report credited to Reuters
- Pope Leo recovering from surgery, will deliver Sunday prayerDeutsche Welle
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.