VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV told thousands of cheering faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square on Sunday that he plans to gradually resume his papal duties, in his first public appearance since surgery removed part of his right lung five days earlier.
The 71-year-old pontiff appeared at the window of the Apostolic Palace for the traditional Sunday Angelus blessing, speaking in a firm, clear voice just one day after being discharged from Rome's Gemelli hospital.
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"I Will Gradually Resume My Activities"
"Now that this delicate phase is behind me, I will gradually resume my activities, always with God's help and your prayers," Leo told the crowd, whose cheers erupted the moment he appeared at the window — the same spot where, a week earlier, he had revealed that doctors had found a nodule on his lung.
The pontiff said the past week's experience "has made me feel especially close to those facing illness and infirmity," and expressed "particular gratitude to the doctors, nurses and all the staff at Gemelli hospital." About 15,000 people filled the square, according to the Vatican. One nun knelt and cried, holding her hand over her face, while a group of nuns nearby held aloft a sign reading, "Best wishes, Holy Father. We love you and we are praying for you." A delegation from Africa, in Rome for a congress, danced and ululated after the blessing.
Five Days From Surgery to the Window
The speed of the pope's return is striking. Leo announced on October 11 that routine medical checks had detected a small, localized lung nodule and that surgery was recommended. Two days later, surgeons performed a 90-minute video-assisted operation that removed the lower lobe of his right lung; histological examination confirmed lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer.
His doctors discharged him on October 17 after blood tests and chest imaging showed he was well enough to go home and able to perform normal daily activities independently, the Vatican said. Lead surgeon Dr. Stefano Margaritora, who performed the operation without complications, said he saw no clinical reason the pope could not proceed with his planned November 6–17 visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
What Happens Next
The Vatican has cancelled the pope's other public events through at least October 20. It has not said whether he will hold his weekly general audience on Wednesday, nor whether the pace of his schedule will change longer term — Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, said Friday the pontiff may need to adjust the pace of his schedule "according to the condition of his health."
The diagnosis shocked the Catholic world: Leo, elected only in May 2025, is the first US-born pope and the youngest pontiff in decades. He also used Sunday's reflection — on Jesus' teaching to "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's" — to urge pilgrims to set aside selfish ambitions and serve God "without compromise."
The takeaway: five days after lung cancer surgery, Pope Leo XIV stood unaided at his window and led his flock. His message was simple — the delicate phase is behind him, and with God's help and the faithful's prayers, he will carry on.
Sources
- Reuters / GMA News — Pope Leo pledges gradual return to duties in first event since cancer surgery
- AP / Inquirer — Pope Leo ready to gradually resume duties after cancer surgery
- Anadolu Agency — Pope Leo XIV makes 1st public appearance after lung surgery
- Reuters / The Straits Times — Pope Leo pledges gradual return to duties