ROME – Pope Leo XIV’s recovery after lung surgery is proceeding so smoothly that the Vatican on Friday ended its routine morning bulletins confirming that he had awakened and eaten breakfast. Still, uncertainty remains over what his cancer diagnosis could mean for the early stages of his pontificate.
Vatican officials were meanwhile preparing for the possibility that Leo could lead the traditional Angelus prayer at noon Sunday. Vatican media crews were spotted installing cables at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, raising the prospect of a live broadcast similar to those arranged for popes during previous hospital stays.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, said Leo might recite the prayer from the hospital, although the decision would depend on his post-surgical progress. Such a public appearance has often reassured the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics — and others — that an hospitalized pope is doing well.
Parolin said he was still worried about the pope, while acknowledging that his concern was heightened by the unexpected news that Leo would require surgery.
“We can’t make any type of predictions,” Parolin said Thursday on the sidelines of a diplomatic event, according to LaPresse and ANSA. “The question now is when he will return, under what circumstances he will return, and what the doctors say. And based on all these factors, the pope will then adjust his pontificate, if it needs to be adjusted,” he was quoted as saying.
The 71-year-old pope underwent surgery Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung after doctors detected a nodule suspected to be cancerous. The procedure confirmed that he has adenocarcinoma, the most prevalent form of lung cancer.
Leo, who is American, returned to work from his hospital room Thursday and met with his chief of staff. He also continued respiratory physiotherapy. Doctors said tests showed that the remaining lung had responded well to the operation, while other post-operative results were within normal limits and his recovery was advancing as expected.
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Medical teams are still waiting for tests that will reveal the cancer’s precise molecular and genetic characteristics, determine whether it has spread beyond the removed lobe and establish whether Leo will need additional treatment.
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AP visual journalist Trisha Thomas contributed.
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