Pope Leo XIV will proceed with his planned November 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, after doctors determined there are no medical reasons preventing him from traveling three weeks after lung cancer surgery, the Vatican confirmed Monday. The Vatican say Leo’s recovery continues to progress in line with favorable assessments from his medical team. It also confirmed that the 71-year-old’s already ambitious travel schedule remains unchanged, with no alterations announced. The Pope’s physician, Luigi Carbone, said there’s no medical reason preventing Leo’s trip to South America, which involves a dozen flights and two helicopter rides to high altitudes.
“I am looking forward to returning to the continent where I’ve experienced so many moments of my life,” Leo said Monday. “May this journey be an occasion for us to open our hearts to one another, strengthen our communion as brothers and sisters, and renew our commitment to proclaiming the Gospel with joy.”
The Vatican said the visit will provide an opportunity for the pope to strengthen ties with local churches, encourage the faithful and promote a message of faith, hope and peace in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
Peru is a country the Pope knows very well. He first arrived as a missionary in the 1980s, later serving as a bishop there and acquiring citizenship.
The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. Since returning to the Vatican, Leo has gradually resumed his activities while adjusting his schedule to prioritize recovery and periods of rest, the statement said.
It was Leo himself who revealed the discovery of the small, localised nodule during his weekly Sunday noon prayer in St Peter’s Square. Leo, who was elected during the conclave in May 2025, had walked into the hospital through the main entrance waving to dozens of well-wishers who had gathered to greet him.
In his telephone call with Putin, the Pope also “called for a ceasefire to allow the entry of first aid, food supplies into the town and safe evacuation of the civilian population
