Pope Leo XIV appears before thousands after lung cancer surgery
Pope Leo XIV thanked about 15,000 Catholic faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square during his Sunday address, marking his first major public appearance since undergoing lung cancer surgery. “Now that this delicate phase is behind me, I will gradually resume my activities, always with God’s help and your prayers,” the 71‑year‑old pontiff said.
He spoke from a window that looks over the square, the same spot where, a week earlier during the traditional Angelus blessing, he announced that a nodule had been discovered in his lung and would be removed surgically. The operation confirmed an adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, and doctors are still awaiting test results to determine whether the disease has spread.
Leo said the past week’s experience “has made me feel especially close to those facing illness and infirmity.” He expressed deep gratitude to the doctors, nurses and all staff at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he was treated, and told the crowd that he had truly felt their support. After a brief pause and a wave, he returned to his private apartments in the Apostolic Palace.
A delegation from Africa, present in Rome for a Catholic meeting, celebrated the blessing with dancing and ululation. “He was always in our prayers when he was sick, and we are happy to see him today, this is an expression of our joy,” said Alain Kalembu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Claire Holland, a visitor from Jacksonville, Florida, said she felt “very blessed” to be there for the pope’s return to his flock.
There had been uncertainty about a planned papal trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin told reporters that the pope might need to adjust the pace of his schedule according to his health condition. However, Leo’s surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, told Vatican News that there were “no clinical reasons why the trip should not go ahead.”
Latin Americans in the crowd welcomed the news of his recovery. “We are all hoping for his recovery, and that he has gotten through the situation well. We know that he is OK, and we’re pleased,” said Soledad Espinosa from Ecuador.