Pope Leo XIV addressed about 15,000 Catholics gathered in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, marking his first major public appearance since undergoing surgery for lung cancer. He thanked the crowd for its presence during his address from the Vatican.
The 71-year-old pontiff spoke from a window overlooking the square. A week earlier, during the traditional Angelus blessing at the same spot, he had disclosed that a nodule found in his lung would be surgically removed. The operation confirmed adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. Tests to establish whether the disease has spread are still pending.
Pope thanks medical team and pledges gradual return
Leo said the past week had made him feel especially close to people living with illness and frailty. He expressed particular gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where he was treated. He told the crowd he had truly felt their support.
He said that, now that this delicate phase was behind him, he would slowly resume his activities, relying on God’s help and the prayers of the faithful. After pausing to wave, he withdrew into his apartment in the Apostolic Palace.
Pilgrims react to the pope’s return
A delegation from Africa, in Rome for a Catholic meeting, danced and ululated after the blessing. Alain Kalembu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo said the pope had always been in their prayers during his illness and that they were glad to see him. Claire Holland from Jacksonville, Florida, said she felt very blessed to witness his return to the flock.
Latin American pilgrims also welcomed the news. Soledad Espinosa from Ecuador said everyone hoped for his recovery and was pleased that he appeared to be doing well.
Questions over November trip to Latin America
There had been doubts about whether a planned papal visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November would go ahead. On Friday, the Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, told journalists the pope might need to adjust the pace of his schedule according to his health. However, Leo’s surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, told Vatican News that he saw no clinical reasons why the trip should not proceed.
