Pope Leo XIV's convalescence at the Vatican: who is caring for him and how he is facing his illness
According to Leggo, four nuns are assisting him, with possible visits from his personal physician and a physiotherapist; in Avvenire, the "healthy Augustinian realism". At noon, the Angelus from the window
Pope Leo XIV has begun his convalescence at the Vatican following the lung surgery performed on Tuesday 13 October at the Gemelli Hospital. According to Leggo (press reporting, not confirmed by the Holy See Press Office), four nuns are assisting him in the Apostolic Palace, while his personal physician and, if needed, a physiotherapist could visit him daily. In Avvenire, an Augustinian describes the "healthy Augustinian realism" with which the Pope is facing his illness. Today at noon Pope Leo XIV will pray the Angelus from the window of the Apostolic Palace.
The convalescence, according to Leggo. The newspaper writes that the Pope "returned to the Apostolic Palace, home with his 'family', his two secretaries, Fr Edgard Iván Rimaycuna Inga and Fr Marco Billeri, and the four nuns who assist him" (our translation). According to Leggo, "no particular medical arrangements will be needed" and "for several more days, a daily visit from his personal physician and, if necessary, from the physiotherapist can be expected" (our translation). The paper adds that "early in the week, probably on Tuesday, the surgeon Margaritora himself could go to the Vatican for a check-up" (our translation) (Leggo). These are press accounts, attributed to the paper's web desk: the Holy See Press Office has released no details about the Pope's care at the Vatican.
The "healthy Augustinian realism", according to Avvenire. In an interview by Giacomo Gambassi published today in Avvenire (Avvenire), Gabriele Pedicino, Provincial Prior of the Augustinians in Italy, offered his reading: "It is with a 'healthy Augustinian realism' that the Pope, a 'son of Augustine', is facing his illness" (our translation). "This was clear from the moment Leo XIV announced last Sunday to the people of God what he had been diagnosed with," he said. Saint Augustine, he explained, "always reckoned with what is human: with the restlessness, the desire, the struggles and the frailties that belong to every person." He added: "I would say that his cancer makes us feel the Pope even closer. And I believe it makes concrete the phrase of Augustine with which he introduced himself to the world on the day of his election: 'With you I am a Christian, for you I am a bishop'" (our translation). Pedicino recalled his "admiration for the clarity, the transparency, the direct style of the Pope, who had even specified the diagnosis" (our translation). This is testimony and commentary, not official information on the Pope's health.
What is official. In statement [B0819] yesterday, Saturday 17 October, the Holy See Press Office said that "this afternoon Pope Leo XIV left the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital and returned to the Vatican" and that "tomorrow, Sunday 18 October, the Holy Father will pray the Angelus from the Apostolic Palace" (our translation; no official English version has been published) (Statement B0819, Italian). Stefano Margaritora, the surgeon who operated on him, told Vatican News: "I believe the Pope could be fully recovered in another ten days or so" (Vatican News).
Today's Angelus. At noon Pope Leo XIV will appear at the window of the Apostolic Palace for the Marian prayer, his first Angelus since his stay at the Gemelli. Follow it in our live blog:
The November trip, not yet confirmed. The apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru is scheduled for November 6–17. Margaritora told Vatican News that "there are no clinical reasons why this visit should not take place": this is the doctor's assessment, not an official confirmation, which rests with the Holy See (our article). An unconfirmed REPORT is circulating about the Peru leg.
What remains to be known. The Press Office has not yet announced the calendar of the Pope's next public engagements. According to Leggo, the general audience on Wednesday 21 October appears in the calendar of the Prefecture of the Papal Household "but is yet to be confirmed", while for the visit to Assisi on 27 October the convalescence timeline "could make this engagement difficult" (our translation) (Leggo). Official confirmation of the November trip programme and of the arrangements for his convalescence is also still awaited.
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Source: Leggo, Avvenire