Pope Leo to make first public Sunday appearance following lung cancer surgery

Pope Leo will make his first public appearance on Sunday since undergoing lung cancer surgery, as the Vatican reports steady improvement in his recovery and ongoing preparations for a November trip to South America.

Pope Leo will appear in public on Sunday for the first time since undergoing lung cancer surgery, with the 71-year-old pontiff showing steady improvement and resuming normal daily activities independently, the Vatican announced on Friday.

The Vatican released the first images of the pope since his procedure on Tuesday, showing him celebrating Mass and standing unaided. Leo is scheduled to lead a traditional noontime prayer on Sunday, while preparations continue for his planned November visit to South America.

Doctors removed the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung after he was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. A medical bulletin released Friday stated that blood tests and a chest X-ray confirmed steady improvement in his overall condition, allowing him to carry out daily tasks independently.

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The Vatican signaled that the pope intends to maintain his commitments, confirming that work on his November 6 to 17 visit to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru is moving forward with an accredited press list already released. Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori had previously speculated that the journey might face delays.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, noted that it remains unclear when Leo will return to his full schedule of appointments and whether he will need to adjust his pace based on medical advice. The Vatican has not yet specified a discharge date from the hospital, though previous indications suggested a recovery period of about one week.

Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich expressed shock over the diagnosis, stating that the severity of the condition became fully apparent only after surgeons removed part of the lung lobe. Medical teams have successfully completed the operation without complications, though they have not yet disclosed the size of the tumor or whether the disease spread to nearby lymph nodes.

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