Pope Leo Greets Cheering Crowds in First Public Appearance After Lung Cancer Surgery
Pope Leo XIV made an emotional return to public life on Sunday, waving to some 15,000 cheering pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square just five days after undergoing surgery for lung cancer. The 71-year-old pontiff, the first American pope, appeared at the window of the Apostolic Palace unaided, speaking in a firm, clear voice as crowds shouted his name below.
Leo was discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Saturday, four days after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung. Doctors confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, but said the nodule was caught at an early stage and the operation went without complications.
“Having overcome this delicate phase... I will now gradually resume my activities, always with the help of God and your prayers,” the pope told the crowd, pledging a gradual return to his duties as leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. His doctors said he could recover fully within about 10 more days, and the Vatican says there is no clinical reason to cancel his planned trip to South America next month.
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