Pope Leo XIV will make his first public appearance since undergoing lung surgery on Sunday, as the Vatican says the pontiff is making steady progress in hospital. According to Al Jazeera, the 71-year-old Catholic leader is expected to deliver the traditional noontime prayer on Sunday, following an operation on Tuesday…...
Pope Leo XIV will make his first public appearance since undergoing lung surgery on Sunday, as the Vatican says the pontiff is making steady progress in hospital.
According to Al Jazeera, the 71-year-old Catholic leader is expected to deliver the traditional noontime prayer on Sunday, following an operation on Tuesday to remove part of his right lung after a cancer diagnosis.
In a medical update on Friday, his doctors said he was able to “carry out normal daily activities with full independence”.
A blood test and chest X-ray conducted earlier in the day also confirmed his “steady improvement”, according to the medical bulletin.
The Vatican also released the first images of Leo since the surgery, showing him celebrating Mass and standing unaided at the Rome hospital where he is recovering.
The announcement of his planned public appearance comes amid preparations for his scheduled visit to South America in November, despite concerns over his health.
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Leo, who was elected pope in May 2025, has not been given a discharge date. The Vatican had previously indicated that his recovery would take about a week.
His doctors said the surgery was completed successfully without complications. However, they have not disclosed the size of the tumour or whether the cancer had spread to nearby lymph nodes, factors that could influence his prognosis.
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Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, regarded as a close ally of Leo, said he was shocked by the pontiff’s cancer diagnosis.
Speaking to Catholic magazine *America*, Cupich said he believed Leo had “downplayed” his health concerns on Sunday when he announced that he needed surgery for a small, well-contained growth on his lung.
“When I heard they took out part of the lobe of the lung and that it was malignant, that was more shocking and more concerning,” Cupich said.
“I think people are very concerned and even worried about this but hoping for the best.”
Leo is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17. Although Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori had suggested the trip might be delayed, the Vatican has continued preparations, releasing a list of journalists accredited to cover the visit.
A Vatican spokesman confirmed that work on the trip was “going forward”.
The pope also continued his official duties from hospital on Friday, including a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During the call, Leo pushed for a ceasefire to allow aid and food supplies into Oleshky, a Ukrainian town under Russian occupation, the Vatican said.