VATICAN CITY (Azat TV) – Pope Leo XIV made his first public appearance on Sunday since undergoing surgery for lung cancer five days prior, greeting thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square from a window of the Apostolic Palace, as reported by Reuters. The 71-year-old pontiff spoke in a firm, clear voice during his traditional noontime Angelus prayer, expressing gratitude for global prayers and confirming his intention to slowly resume his normal schedule after overcoming what he described as a delicate phase.
Having overcome this delicate phase, the head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics stood unaided at the palace window under cloudy skies. Addressing the faithful, the first US pope remarked that the ordeal had provided him with a heightened sense of closeness to those experiencing illness or infirmity, while urging pilgrims to set aside selfish ambitions and serve without compromise.
Hospital Discharge and Recovery Timeline
The public appearance followed the Pope’s discharge from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon, a day earlier than initially anticipated. Professor Stefano Margaritora, the surgeon who performed the October 13 procedure, confirmed that postoperative blood tests and chest X-rays cleared the pontiff for departure. The 90-minute operation successfully removed the lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung after preoperative tests indicated lung adenocarcinoma, a diagnosis later confirmed by the Vatican.
Medical teams noted that the small nodule had been spotted early during a routine check-up, prompting the intervention. Although initial projections anticipated a week-long hospital stay, the pontiff was declared fit to leave on Saturday. He walked to his car unaided, smiling and stopping briefly to speak with well-wishers while waving to cheering crowds.
During his hospital stay, the Pope celebrated Mass in a makeshift chapel on Friday before his return to the Vatican. Furthermore, he held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging a truce to allow humanitarian aid and food supplies into the occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky, according to Sky News. The Vatican confirmed that the pontiff expressed deep concern regarding the humanitarian conditions in the region during the call.
Outlook for Upcoming Papal Itinerary
Medical teams have cleared the pontiff to maintain his international travel schedule, stating there are no clinical obstacles preventing his planned apostolic journey to South America from November 6 to 17. Professor Margaritora explicitly affirmed that clinical evaluations support the execution of the upcoming international visit without medical impediments.
As the pontiff resumes his daily responsibilities following the 17-month mark of his papacy, Vatican observers continue to monitor how the recovery phase will shape his governance. For now, the successful discharge, the continuation of diplomatic appeals, and the reaffirmed foreign travel plans indicate an active approach to the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.