Pope back on his feet, eating normally following cancer diagnosis
asserted
Pope → eat → diagnosis
71-year-old pontiff underwent surgery Tuesday during which part of his right lung was removed
Pope
asserted
part → undergo → lung
Leo's recovery from surgery is progressing as expected and he has begun walking in his hospital room and eating normally, the Vatican said on Wednesday, after doctors announced the 71-year-old pontiff was being treated for lung cancer.
asserted
pontiff → progress → cancer
World leaders, Catholics across the globe and senior cardinals at the Vatican have offered prayers for Leo after he had part of his right lung removed in an operation on Tuesday.
asserted
part → offer → Tuesday
Blood tests and a chest X-ray carried out on Wednesday showed normal post-operative results, the Vatican said, adding that the pontiff had undergone respiratory physiotherapy.
asserted
pontiff → carry → physiotherapy
The cancer diagnosis, for a Pope known to be relatively young and energetic and who was elected only in May 2025, caused shock and raised questions about the future shape of his papacy.
uncertain
who → know → papacy
Leo normally follows a very busy schedule.
asserted
Leo → follow → schedule
He is due to make a tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from Nov. 6 to 17; the Vatican press office said on Wednesday that "nothing has changed" regarding the planned trip.
asserted
nothing → make → trip
However, Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori said on Wednesday that the dates could change because of the amount of time his recovery would take.
uncertain
recovery → say → time
Canadian prayers for the Pope
The pope is the ultimate earthly authority for the world's 1.4 billion Catholics and does not have a deputy who steps in when he is sick.
asserted
he → have → deputy
When a pope is incapacitated, the business of the Vatican's vast bureaucracy carries on as usual, holding off on any decisions that require papal approval.
asserted
that → incapacitate → approval
A prayer was recited for Leo to have a good convalescence and complete healing during an open-air Mass in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday following the surgery.
asserted
Leo → recite → surgery
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a statement that it "joins the faithful across Canada and throughout the world in praying for the swift and complete recovery of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV."
asserted
it → say → Holiness
It went on to express affection for Leo and gratitude to the medical team taking care of him.
asserted
It → go → him
A woman holds a rosary and a card portraying Pope Leo outside Gemelli Hospital, where the Pope continued to recover from surgery Wednesday.
asserted
Pope → hold → surgery
The Pope was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, and doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung during Tuesday's operation in an effort to eliminate all cancerous tissue.
asserted
doctors → diagnose → tissue
Human lungs have five lobes — three in the right lung and two in the left.
asserted
lungs → have → left
The operation lasted about 90 minutes and was completed without complications, the Pope's lead surgeon, Professor Stefano Margaritora, and his personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, said late on Tuesday.
asserted
surgeon → last → Tuesday
The Vatican has not disclosed the size of the tumour or whether the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes, key factors in determining prognosis.
asserted
disease → disclose → prognosis
Dr. Serena Ricciardi, a lung cancer specialist at Rome's San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, said that if the cancer had not spread to Leo's lymph nodes, the surgery may have been sufficient for treatment.
uncertain
surgery → say → treatment
"If there are no further issues or lymph node involvement, we could consider the surgery curative," she told Reuters.
uncertain
she → be → Reuters
"The disease has been completely removed."
asserted
disease → remove → ?
He enjoys sports, including tennis, and is not known to be a smoker or to have had recent health issues.
asserted
He → enjoy → issues
Engagements cancelled until Oct. 20
The Vatican said this week that the Pope was expected to remain in hospital for about a week and that all his public engagements had been cancelled until Oct. 20.
The Mass on Wednesday was the closing act of an assembly of bishops called by Leo to discuss the Church's family life teachings, the largest gathering of Church leaders so far during this papacy.
asserted
Mass → cancel → papacy
Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle led the service in place of Leo.
asserted
Tagle → lead → Leo
The Pope last week approved Tagle as the dean of the Church's College of Cardinals, in the first selection of an Asian cleric to the elite role.
asserted
Pope → approve → role
Political leaders offered messages of support.
asserted
leaders → offer → support
AI's 'paradise of machines' a threat to humanity, Pope Leo says
- Analysis
asserted
Leo → say → humanity
In meeting with Pope Leo, Rubio tries to minimize Trump's attacks
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he and his wife Jeanette were praying for the Pope, an American who was born in Chicago.
asserted
who → try → Chicago
"May the Lord give him strength and the Holy Spirit guide the medical professionals taking care of the Holy Father," he said on X.
uncertain
he → give → Father
Rubio met Leo at the Vatican in May.
uncertain
Rubio → meet → May
There was no immediate response on social media from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has criticized the Pope, or from U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, who is Catholic.
asserted
who → be → Vance
The Aporia
