Step by step toward recovery: Leo XIV confirms general audience while recuperating at the Vatican
After being discharged from the hospital and appearing at the Angelus, the Pontiff confirms his anticipated Wednesday appointment in St. Peter’s Square as he continues his convalescence at the Vatican
Pope Leo XIV continues his post-operative recovery at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, after being discharged last Saturday from the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome. The surgery the Pontiff underwent on October 13 to remove a lung adenocarcinoma led to five days of hospitalization and, subsequently, his Sunday reappearance at the Angelus before the 15,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
Amid speculation about his next steps, the Holy See Press Office has confirmed that the Pope will hold the general audience this coming Wednesday morning in St. Peter’s Square, allowing him to once again meet with the faithful. At the moment, specific details about whether he will make his traditional journey through the crowds in the popemobile have not been clarified, but the official confirmation of the event has been met with relief.
His transfer to the Castel Gandolfo residence—where he had regularly gone from Monday to Tuesday since the beginning of his pontificate to rest and work—has also been temporarily ruled out. Leo XIV will remain focused on his recovery within the Vatican walls, a period of convalescence that, according to surgeon Stefano Margaritora, could last about ten days.
Regarding his long-term agenda and other institutional activities, the Holy See will communicate updates in the coming days, remaining for now without a firm official forecast regarding his scheduled trip to Assisi on November 27.
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