Pope León XIV Returns to Public Prayer After Lung Cancer Surgery

Pope León XIV publicly announced on October 11 that a nodule in his lung needed to be removed. He described it as being at an early stage and well localized, according to La Nacion.

The operation took place on Tuesday, October 13, following the detection of cancer in his right lung, Perfil.com reported. Surgeons removed the lower right lobe to treat an adenocarcinoma, according to Infobae.

The pope was discharged from hospital on Saturday, October 17, four days after surgery. RT en Español - Noticias reported that his return to the Angelus came a day after he left hospital.

On Sunday, October 18, he addressed a crowd in St. Peter's Square from a Vatican window. It was his first public event since the operation five days earlier, according to CNN Brasil. Thousands of faithful greeted him with an ovation, La Nacion reported.

During the address, he thanked those who had prayed for his recovery and said he would resume his activities gradually, according to Infobae. He also said the experience had brought him closer to people facing illness and infirmity, NYT World News reported.

The pope is out of hospital and has resumed public prayer, but his stated approach is a gradual return rather than an immediate restoration of all activities. His appearance at the Angelus was the first public step in that return, according to CNN Brasil.

Doctors say there are no clinical reasons preventing his planned tour. That clearance sits alongside his own announcement that he will ease back into his duties.

The next step is how quickly the pope expands his schedule beyond the Angelus. He has committed to resuming activities gradually, according to Infobae, but the supplied coverage gives no detailed timetable for that return or dates for the planned tour.