Pope Leo XIV returned to St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday to address thousands of the faithful, delivering his first public general audience just eight days after surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung at Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic following a localized adenocarcinoma diagnosis.
The pontiff drove through the crowd in a papamobile, smiling, blessing children, and showing no visible trace of the recent procedure as he addressed the faithful with a steady voice. Stepping up to the microphone at the start of the Wednesday gathering, the pope opened his remarks with a direct expression of gratitude for the prayers offered during his hospital stay.
That English translation captures the opening sentiment: The first thing I want to tell you is a thank you—thank you for the support of your prayers, thank you to God for His generosity.
He urged the gathered pilgrims to renew their faith in the goodness and mercy of God.
Following the catechesis, the Holy Father led the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer and greeted cardinals and other individuals permitted to participate in the traditional kissing of the ring. Before the Wednesday audience, the Vatican confirmed that Leo XIV would also partially resume his routine pastoral duties by leading the traditional Angelus prayer from the window of the Apostolic Palace on Sunday, October 18, following his discharge from the hospital on Saturday, October 17.
Doctors Confirm Localized Lung Adenocarcinoma Diagnosis After Gemelli Surgery
The personal physician of the pontiff, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and Prof. Stefano Margaritora—who led the surgical team that operated on the pope on October 13—released a formal bulletin from the Vatican detailing the final pathology following molecular biology testing of the resected tissue. The 90-minute video-assisted thoracic surgery performed in the Roman hospital involved removing the lower lobe of the right lung. Outside the clinic upon his departure, the pope had a poignant encounter with 13-year-old Varvara from Ukraine, whom he had first met on December 31 of the previous year in St. Peter’s Square while she was battling cancer and awaiting a difficult operation. The medical team, including Dr. Carbone and Prof. Margaritora, previously verified that the recovery process proceeded ideally and without complications, noting that while the operation was routine medically, operating on the patient was a deeply moving experience for the entire staff.
Today, the final results of the histopathological and molecular biology tests on the material taken during the Holy Father’s surgical procedure were received, according to a Vatican medical bulletin via Onet. Dr. Luigi Carbone and Prof. Stefano Margaritora stated that the results confirmed it was a lung adenocarcinoma and that the disease was localized, adding that a subsequent oncology consultation confirmed no additional treatment is necessary.
Translated into English, the medical statement confirms that the final histology and molecular biology reports established the diagnosis of a localized lung adenocarcinoma. A subsequent oncology consultation verified that no further medical treatment is necessary. Fact-checkers from Demagog noted that a widely circulated image in social media showing a smiling pope in a hospital bed—shared by figures such as PiS MP Bartłomiej Wróblewski—was generated by artificial intelligence, as confirmed by Hive AI and SynthID detection tools, whereas authentic hospital imagery published by Vatican News on October 16 showed the pontiff celebrating mass inside the clinic.
Pope Leo XIV Examines Gaudium et Spes and Defends Human Life
Returning to his teaching duties, Pope Leo XIV used his general audience catechesis to examine the Second Vatican Council’s pastoral constitution Gaudium et spes
, focusing specifically on marriage, the family, and the dignity of the human person as outlined in the conciliar document. The weekly teaching addressed urgent contemporary problems in light of the Gospel and human experience, emphasizing that the well-being of the person and of human and Christian society is closely linked to the favorable condition of the marital and family community.
The pontiff emphasized that matrimonial union must be understood as an intimate community of life and love rooted in a marital covenant rather than a mere legal contract. Drawing from the council’s teachings on spousal responsibility and procreation, the papal address turned directly to the protection of human life from its earliest stages. During the audience, Leo XIV also greeted pilgrims from Poland, including participants celebrating the 45th anniversary of the John Paul II Vatican Foundation in Rome and the organizers and participants of the Festival of Davidic Psalms titled Psalms with John Paul II – Psalms of Peace,
featuring a concert scheduled for Thursday, October 22, 2026, at the Auditorium Conciliazione.
In English translation, the pope stressed that life must be protected with the utmost care from the very moment of conception, and that abortion and infanticide must be firmly rejected. He also noted that marital acts performed in accord with genuine human dignity demand profound respect. The pope described cooperation in promoting marriage and families as an obligation more urgent than ever, reminding political and cultural leaders that society must actively support the family as the foundation of society and a school of fuller humanity.
Vatican Prepares Pontiff for South American Apostolic Journey in November
With respiratory function recovering at an optimal pace and post-operative tests clearing the pontiff for travel, preparations continue for an apostolic journey to South America scheduled for November 6–17. The itinerary encompasses multiple flights, helicopter transfers, and stops across Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru—including a stay at an altitude of over 3,000 meters above sea level according to Vatican analysts.
Medical teams have confirmed no medical contraindications currently exist to prevent the international tour from proceeding as planned. State Secretary Cardinal Pietro Parolin previously discussed potential adjustments to papal commitments following the hospitalization.