Vatican considers Pope's hospital prayer appearance

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 12:02 · Archive

Pope Leo XIV is recovering well from lung surgery and may deliver a Sunday prayer from hospital.

Pope Leo XIV's recovery from lung surgery is progressing so normally that the Vatican has stopped providing daily morning updates on whether he woke up and ate breakfast. Vatican officials are considering having the Pope deliver the traditional Sunday noon Angelus prayer from Gemelli hospital. Vatican media personnel have been seen laying cables for a possible live broadcast, as previous hospitalised Popes have done.

The Pope, 71, had the lower lobe of his right lung removed on Tuesday after doctors identified a suspected cancerous nodule. Surgery confirmed he has adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. By Thursday he had resumed working from his hospital room and met with his chief of staff while continuing respiratory physiotherapy.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said a Sunday prayer recitation was a possibility but would depend on how the Pope's post-operative recovery progressed. Such appearances have served as confirmation of a hospitalised Pope's wellbeing for the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic faithful. Parolin said he remained concerned about the Pope but indicated his surprise at learning surgery was needed. 'The question now is when he will return, under what circumstances he will return, and what the doctors say,' Parolin said Thursday. 'And based on all these factors, the Pope will then adjust his pontificate, if it needs to be adjusted.'

How it is being reported

• Vatican mulls prayer appearance for recovering PopePope Leo XIV's recovery from lung surgery is progressing so well that the Vatican is considering having the pontiff deliver a Sunday prayer from hospital.Perth Now · 16 Oct, 11:38
• Vatican mulls prayer appearance for recovering PopePope Leo XIV's recovery from lung surgery is progressing so well that the Vatican is considering having the pontiff deliver a Sunday prayer from hospital.The West Australian · 16 Oct, 11:38

In this story: Pope Leo XIV · Cardinal Pietro Parolin · Vatican · Gemelli hospital

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