The pontiff delivered the Angelus prayer before thousands in St. Peter’s Square five days after doctors removed a cancerous tumor from his lung.
Pope Leo XIV appeared at a window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square on Sunday to deliver his traditional Angelus prayer, speaking to thousands of gathered faithful five days after undergoing surgery to remove a malignant lung tumor.
The Sunday blessing was the 71-year-old pontiff’s first public appearance since returning to the Vatican on Saturday, following a four-day stay at Rome’s Gemelli hospital. The lower lobe of his right lung was removed on Tuesday in what marked the first major health crisis of his 17-month pontificate, CBS News reported.
His discharge came faster than anticipated after doctors initially projected a hospital stay of roughly one week, according to Fox News. As he left the hospital on Saturday, the first American-born pope told a reporter in English that he was doing much better.
A message of gratitude to the crowd
When the pope appeared at the window, the crowd in the square erupted in cheers. A week earlier, during the previous Angelus address from the same window, he had announced to the public that doctors had discovered a nodule on his lung that required surgical removal.
Speaking in a voice that sounded strong, the pontiff thanked the crowd for their support and expressed gratitude to the doctors, nurses and workers at Gemelli hospital who cared for him. He explained that his recent medical ordeal made him feel closer to people who are living with illness and physical infirmity.
“Now that this delicate phase is behind me, I will gradually resume my activities, always with God’s help and your prayers,” Leo said.
During his remarks, the pope reflected on the biblical passage urging believers to give to the emperor what belongs to the emperor and to God what belongs to God. He called on Christians to avoid hypocrisy and live with integrity. After offering the blessing, he paused briefly to wave to the gathered crowd before returning inside his apartment.
Pilgrims in the square celebrated his appearance. A delegation from the Democratic Republic of Congo danced and cheered following the blessing, while visitors from across Italy and the United States said they had gathered to pray with the pontiff after a week of uncertainty.
Pathology tests and next medical steps
Surgical pathology confirmed that the removed growth was adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. Vatican officials have not released any public prognosis regarding the pope’s long-term health.
Medical teams are carrying out additional histological tests on the extracted tumor and adjacent lymph nodes. Those examinations, which include analyzing the tumor’s genetic and molecular traits, will establish the overall stage of the disease.
The findings will determine whether the pope requires follow-up cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy, an immunotherapy combination, or targeted oral medication designed around the tumor’s genetic profile.
Upcoming trip to South America
The pope’s recovery comes as the Vatican prepares for an ambitious 11-day tour of South America scheduled for Nov. 6 through Nov. 17. The planned itinerary includes stops in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, requiring a dozen airplane flights along with two helicopter trips into high-altitude areas.
Questions had emerged over whether the pontiff would be able to handle such an intense schedule so soon after major chest surgery. However, his surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, indicated that the recovery was progressing rapidly.
Margaritora told Vatican News on Saturday that Leo had thrown his entire effort into healing, projecting a complete surgical recovery within about 10 days. Looking ahead to the South American tour, the surgeon said that “there are no clinical reasons why it should not take place.”
