Pope’s surgeon green lights Nov. 6–17 apostolic trip to Latin America

Pope Leo XIV leaves Gemelli Hospital, returns to Vatican

The 71-year-old pope had been admitted last Tuesday and underwent surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung.

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Pope’s surgeon green lights Nov. 6–17 apostolic trip to Latin America

“No clinical reasons why it should not take place,” said Dr. Stefano Margaritora, who called Pope Leo “an ideal patient.”

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Leo thanks all who prayed for him

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Back at his window for the Angelus, Leo thanks all who prayed for him

Pope Leo XIV prayed the Angelus at noon Sunday from the window of his study in the Apostolic Palace, his first public appointment since leaving Gemelli Hospital on Saturday, and thanked “all those who have prayed for me in recent days. I have truly sensed your support.” He thanked the doctors, nurses, and staff of Gemelli and said the experience made him feel “particularly close to all those who are living with illness or infirmity.” Now that he has “overcome this delicate phase,” he said, he will gradually resume his activities, “always with God’s help and your prayers.” Marking the 100th World Mission Day, he prayed that the Church “may always remain faithful to the mandate of the Risen Lord.” In his reflection on “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s,” he said that in Jesus “we contemplate a God who is not afraid of history but comes instead to dwell within it.” Thousands of pilgrims filled St. Peter’s Square to welcome him back after Tuesday’s surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. — Vatican.va (full text) · Vatican News (Christopher Wells) · AP · Also: Holy See Press Office [IT] on his return to the Vatican

Leo’s surgeon sees no clinical reason to cancel the Latin America trip

Prof. Stefano Margaritora, who operated on the pope, told Vatican News there are “no clinical reasons” why Leo’s Nov. 6–17 visit to Latin America should not take place. He said the pope’s blood tests at discharge were “completely normal,” his lung is re-expanding on the usual timetable, and he could be fully recovered “in another ten days or so.” The tumor was found by chance during routine abdominal exams, he said, urging people at risk to be screened for lung cancer. He called Leo “an ideal patient” who was found arranging the chapel chairs himself two days after surgery. — Vatican News (Andrea Tornielli)

Also today

• Pope Leo greets young Ukrainian cancer survivor as he departs hospital — Salvatore Cernuzio, Vatican News. Varvara, 13, who met Leo last December while awaiting cancer surgery, came to Gemelli to return his embrace.
• Three days by boat: A missionary bishop at the ends of the earth — Vatican News. For World Mission Sunday, Bishop Jacek Tendej, C.M., on going to Papua New Guinea at 50.
• ‘Pétros ení’: New film on St Peter’s tomb features Pope Leo — Vatican News. Narrated by Chris Pratt, for the 400th anniversary of the basilica’s consecration.

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Compiled from publicly available reporting as of about 6:45 a.m., Oct. 18, 2026 (ET). Quotations are as published by the linked outlets. Headlines from non-English sources are our translations.

This weekend edition was compiled with the help of AI tools and published automatically without editor review. Summaries reflect the reporting of the outlets linked, not the views of Where Peter Is. Please report any errors to the editors.

Photo: Jorge Royan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

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