Pope Leo XIV presided over the Angelus prayer this Sunday from the window of his rooms in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, marking his first public appearance after undergoing surgery for a cancerous tumor in his lung and being discharged from the hospital just a day earlier.
Thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square welcomed the pontiff with applause as he appeared at the window at noon, according to reports from EFE agency from the Vatican.
The pope took the opportunity to publicly thank everyone for the expressions of affection he received during his recovery: "I want to thank everyone who has prayed for me during these days; I have truly felt your support. Thank you!"
He also expressed special gratitude to the team at the Policlínico Universitario Agostino Gemelli in Rome, where he underwent video-assisted surgery on Tuesday, October 13, lasting about 90 minutes, during which the lower lobe of the right lung was removed.
The histological examination confirmed that the tumor was a pulmonary adenocarcinoma, the most common subtype of this type of cancer, although it was detected incidentally during routine abdominal tests, with the patient showing no respiratory symptoms.
The pontiff also shared a personal reflection on his experiences: “This experience has allowed me to feel, in a very particular way, a closeness to all those who are living with an illness or a state of sickness.”
At the end of his address, León XIV announced that he would gradually return to his commitments: "Once this delicate phase is over, as you know, I will gradually resume my activities, always with God's help and your prayers."
The reappearance occurs exactly one week after the Pope announced during the Angelus of the previous Sunday that he needed to undergo surgery for a pulmonary nodule detected at a "very early" and "well-localized" stage.
After the surgery, Leo XIV was discharged on Saturday after blood tests and a chest X-ray confirmed his fitness to leave the medical center, four days post-operation.
The responsible surgeon, Professor Stefano Margaritora, director of the Thoracic Surgery Unit at Gemelli, described the pope's condition as "absolutely satisfactory" and cleared up any doubts regarding his international agenda.
"I would say there are no clinical reasons that would prevent that trip," stated Margaritora in reference to the apostolic visit to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, scheduled from November 6 to 17.
The Prefecture of the Papal Household had canceled all papal audiences until Tuesday, October 20, while doctors await the final results regarding the molecular and genetic composition of the tumor to determine if any additional treatment will be necessary.
Margaritora estimated that the pope will need about ten more days to achieve complete physical recovery, which would leave approximately three weeks before the start of the Latin American journey, a trip of particular significance for León XIV due to his long-standing connection with the region.
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