The Vatican confirmed this Monday that Pope Leo XIV will maintain his agenda and will travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17. The Holy See confirmed the apostolic tour after the pontiff successfully passed a surgical intervention for lung cancer, in which the lower lobe of the right organ was removed.
“It fills me with joy to return to the continent where I have lived so many moments of my life. May this trip be an occasion to open our hearts to one another, strengthen our communion as brothers and sisters, and renew our commitment to announce the Gospel with joy,” the Supreme Pontiff expressed in a statement.
According to the medical report of the Holy See, diagnostic tests and laboratory analyzes confirm that “there are no contraindications” for the Pope to undertake his first tour of Latin America.
Optimal recovery without additional treatments
The pontiff’s personal doctor, Luigi Carbone, confirmed the positive progress in the postoperative stage. “The latest medical examinations attest to his good health and favorable clinical condition,” said the specialist.
Medical teams operated on Leo XIV on October 13 at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, two days after the Pope himself announced the detection of a lung nodule during the Angelus prayer. After diagnosing him with adenocarcinoma, surgeons removed the affected area. Vatican sources also reported that the Supreme Pontiff will not require additional treatments, since definitive histological examinations confirmed that the tumor was localized.
Intense schedule with medical adaptations
The international tour will include 14 flights, more than 40 speeches and meetings, 9 mass masses and a helicopter ride to the city of Cusco, more than 3,000 meters above sea level.
Despite the demands of the itinerary, the Pope has gradually resumed his public activities, adapting his daily agenda in coordination with the medical team. The only preventive modification was the cancellation of his visit to Assisi, scheduled for this Tuesday, because the doctors advised against transporting him by helicopter due to the recentness of the surgery.
Leo XIV He expressed “deep gratitude for the prayers and expressions of affection received from all over the world,” and thanked the dedication of the medical staff who oversaw his recovery process.
The pontiff, who turned 71 years old on September 14 and assumed the papacy on May 8, 2025 as the first American Pope, maintains close ties with the region as he also holds Peruvian nationality for his career as a missionary and bishop in the Andean country.
