Pope Leo XIV leads Angelus after surgery, plans gradual return
Pope Leo XIV, back at the Vatican after lung cancer surgery, thanked the faithful from his window over St. Peter's Square on Sunday and said he would gradually resume his duties. His surgeon says there's no clinical reason to cancel his Nov. 6–17 Latin America trip.
AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below
What happened
Pope Leo XIV appeared at the window of the papal apartment overlooking St. Peter's Square on Sunday to lead the Angelus, a day after leaving Rome's Gemelli Hospital. He thanked the faithful for their prayers and said he would gradually resume his activities with God's help, AP reported. He also thanked the hospital staff and said the experience made him feel closer to people facing illness.
Why it matters
Leo, 71, is the first U.S.-born pope. A fast discharge and a surgeon's green light for long-haul travel point to a quick recovery, though the Vatican has said little about what comes next medically.
More context
Doctor's view: Prof. Stefano Margaritora, who led the Oct. 13 operation, told Vatican News the pope left the hospital in "entirely satisfactory" condition, with normal blood tests and heart function. He said full recovery should take about 10 more days. On the Latin America trip set for Nov. 6–17, he said, "there are no clinical reasons why this visit should not take place."
How it was found: Margaritora said the tumor was found "entirely" by accident, during routine abdominal scans that happened to show the base of the lung. The pope had no breathing symptoms. Removing the lower lobe of the right lung was a routine operation for a tumor of that size and had no complications, he said.
Timeline: Oct. 11, Leo disclosed a small, early-stage lung nodule. Oct. 13, surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung and confirmed adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. Oct. 17, he was discharged and returned to the Vatican, ahead of the week-long stay first expected. Oct. 18, he led the Angelus from his window.
What's still unknown: The Vatican has not published a cancer stage or said whether more treatment is planned. It has not formally reconfirmed the Latin America itinerary since the surgery.
4 listed sources
- AP, Oct. 18, 2026
- Vatican News (surgeon interview), Oct. 17, 2026
- Vatican News (discharge), Oct. 17, 2026
- Vatican News (surgery bulletin), Oct. 13, 2026
References listed by US Brief; a source count is not a verification score.
Editorial sourcing notes
Updated Oct. 18, 2026 with the pope's Sunday Angelus remarks (AP) and surgeon Stefano Margaritora's interview with Vatican News. The Vatican has not published a cancer stage or any further treatment plan.
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