Awaiting tomorrow's General Audience: Pope Leo XIV's convalescence, live updates
The General Audience in St Peter's Square on Wednesday 21 October at 10 am, the first since the 13 October surgery, confirmed "for the moment" by the Press Office
Pope Leo XIV is recovering in the Vatican after his lung surgery on 13 October at the Gemelli Hospital, from which he was discharged on 17 October. At the Angelus on 18 October he said: "I will gradually resume my activities" (vatican.va).
The schedule. The Prefecture of the Papal Household cancelled all audiences until Tuesday 20 October (statement B0807). Here we follow the Pope's gradual return to his engagements.
The Latin America trip. The apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru is scheduled for 6–17 November: since the surgery the Holy See has not yet officially confirmed that it will go ahead as planned. The surgeon Stefano Margaritora told Vatican News there are no clinical reasons against the trip: this is a medical assessment, not a confirmation from the Holy See (the interview with the surgeon). The full picture in our explainer (what we know and what the risks are).
How to read this page. Here we gather official statements, comments and verified news, each with its source. News from the countries on the itinerary and press reports not confirmed by the Holy See are marked REPORT.
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Minute by minute
- Tuesday 20 October20:17Latest
Awaiting tomorrow's General Audience
20 October, 8:17 p.m. (Rome) · The General Audience is scheduled for Wednesday 21 October at 10 am in St Peter's Square, the first since the Pope's surgery at the Gemelli on 13 October. The Press Office says it is confirmed "for the moment": no changes had been announced by this evening, and it is not yet known whether there will be a popemobile tour. Today the Press Office released no new updates on the condition of the Pope, who continues his convalescence in the Apostolic Palace.
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Papa Leone XIV all'Udienza generale (foto d'archivio) / Pope Leo XIV at the General Audience (file photo) Oleshky, Lubinets: "We are finalising the last details to secure the truce and the evacuation"
20 October, 8:02 p.m. (Rome) · Oleshky. Ukraine's human rights commissioner Dmytro Lubinets told the Espresso channel: "We are finalising the last details to secure the truce and the evacuation of all those who wish to leave Oleshky for territory controlled by the Ukrainian government." About 6,000 civilians, including about 200 children, may still be in the area. No agreement has been announced yet. Pope Leo XIV asked Vladimir Putin for a truce on October 16 and discussed it with Volodymyr Zelensky on October 19. Source: Euronews.
Papa Leone XIV / Pope Leo XIV The histology: what it is for and the scenarios outlined by oncologists
20 October, 5:55 p.m. (Rome) · The result of the final histology has not yet been released. In our in-depth report: what the test is for and the paths outlined by oncologists, from regular check-ups alone to targeted therapies.
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Papa Leone XIV all'uscita dal Policlinico Gemelli, 17 ottobre / Pope Leo XIV leaving the Gemelli hospital, 17 October Oleshky: Kremlin says "work is ongoing" on the humanitarian crisis
20 October, 12:37 p.m. (Rome) · Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that on the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky «Работа ведется» ("Work is ongoing", our translation). He recalled that Pope Leo XIV had raised the issue in his 16 October phone call with Vladimir Putin, in which the Pope called for a ceasefire. It was agreed with Donald Trump, he added, that Russia's human rights commissioner, Yana Lantratova, would handle the matter (RIA Novosti, Reuters).
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Papa Leone XIV alla finestra per l'Angelus (foto d'archivio) / Pope Leo XIV at the Angelus window (file photo) Peru, Guillermo Inca Pereda: "Los indicios médicos" give hope. Arrival in Lima on November 11
20 October, 6:45 a.m. (Rome) · Pope Leo XIV's trip to Peru. For Guillermo Inca Pereda, national coordinator of the visit, the Pope's health is the priority, but "los indicios médicos" "nos da la esperanza y las que podríamos continuar con esa visita tan esperada tal como ha sido previsto" ("give us hope that we could go ahead with this long-awaited visit as planned", our translation). According to the agreed programme, the Pope will arrive in Lima on Wednesday, November 11 and spend two nights in Chiclayo, at the bishop's residence. Source: ATV. Confirmation from the Holy See is still pending.
Papa Leone XIV / Pope Leo XIV Peru trip: Vatican advance mission returns on October 26. Espá: "La salud del papa nos preocupa"
20 October, 6:32 a.m. (Rome) · Pope Leo XIV's trip to Peru. Peruvian Foreign Minister Carlos Espá told the relevant committee of the Chamber of Deputies that the Vatican advance mission will return to the country on Monday, October 26. "La salud del papa nos preocupa" ("the Pope's health worries us", our translation), Espá said, adding that preparations continue. Source: EFE. The Holy See has not yet confirmed the trip.
Papa Leone XIV / Pope Leo XIV
Source: Vatican Report