Pope Leo XIV has issued his first public statement since being diagnosed with lung cancer, thanking Catholics for their prayers as he recovers in hospital in Rome.
The Pope underwent a 90-minute operation on Tuesday during which doctors removed the lower lobe of one of his lungs. Medical staff later diagnosed him with pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer.
In a message to Catholics attending a symposium marking the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’s document Amoris laetitia, Leo said he had been unable to join them in person.
“I thank you warmly for your prayers and for the work you have done together. Your sharing of experiences and attentive listening are indeed a gift to the whole Church,” he wrote.
He added: “I ask you please to pray for me, as I pray for you.”
Doctors Luigi Carbone and Stefano Margaritora said the Pope’s recovery was “proceeding as expected”. Leo has been able to walk around his hospital quarters, while the Vatican said he had jointly conducted Mass with other priests in a room prepared on his floor.
The Pope had announced the planned surgery during a speech to the faithful in St Peter’s Square over the weekend, saying a growth on his lung had been found at an early stage.
Leo is not known to be a smoker and has made efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There is, however, a history of cancer in his immediate family: his older brother, Louis Prevost, is receiving treatment for the disease, while their parents died from cancer in the 1990s.
All of the Pope’s public appearances have been cancelled until October 20 while he undergoes treatment. He is due to travel to South America next month.
