Pope Leo Appears in Public for the First Time After Lung Surgery
71-year-old Pope Leo, who underwent surgery for a tumor in his lung, greeted the public at the Vatican five days after the operation. Stating that he will gradually return to his duties, the Pope indicated that his schedule may be adjusted depending on his health status.
Discharged from the hospital following an operation for a lung cancer diagnosis, Pope Leo met with the public in St. Peter's Square on Sunday. The 71-year-old spiritual leader, who had the lower lobe of his right lung removed, thanked the public for their prayers during his address from the window of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican and announced that he would gradually return to his duties.
Pope Leo, who was discharged from Gemelli Hospital on Saturday following the surgical procedure performed on Tuesday, had paused his public events. The Pope, whose official programs were canceled until Wednesday, has a planned visit to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru in November.
Vatican officials and the medical team stated that adjustments could be made to the travel schedule depending on the Pope's recovery process. Pope Leo, the spiritual leader of 1.4 billion Catholics, aims to make a gradual transition to his normal work pace during his recovery.