Pope Leo XIV Says He Will Gradually Resume Duties

Pope Leo XIV appeared at the Vatican’s Sunday Angelus on October 18, saying he would gradually resume his activities after surgery for lung cancer. It was his first public address since the operation and came a day after his discharge from hospital in Rome. Speaking from a window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square, Leo thanked those who had prayed for him and said the experience had brought him closer to people living with illness. Crowds gathered in the square for the traditional prayer and blessing. He led the Angelus and addressed the faithful before returning to his apartment. Leo, 71, was discharged from Gemelli Hospital on October 17, four days after doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung. A Vatican medical statement said blood tests, chest imaging and an evaluation of his clinical condition showed he was fit to leave. Doctors said he could carry out normal daily activities independently. The operation confirmed that Leo had lung adenocarcinoma. Tests on the removed tissue and related lymph nodes were still pending in reports published October 18. Those results, including analysis of the tumour, were expected to help doctors assess whether...