Pope Leo XIV Resumes Audiences and Rides Popemobile After Surgery
Pope Leo XIV has returned to public duties following surgery, riding the popemobile through St. Peter's Square and resuming general audiences while the Vatican prepares for his November trip to South America.
Pope Leo XIV has resumed his public activities after undergoing surgery, appearing before crowds in St. Peter's Square and riding the popemobile despite rainy weather. The 71-year-old pontiff, who was discharged from Rome's Gemelli Polyclinic the previous Saturday, led the general audience and greeted the faithful, showing what observers described as good health as he blessed children brought to him.
At the start of the audience, the Pope thanked supporters for their prayers and renewed his call for trust in divine goodness. «Thank you for your support, for your prayers, thanks be to God for his generosity. Let us all renew our confidence in the goodness and mercy of God,» he said. He also confirmed that he would gradually return to his duties, telling the crowd during the Sunday Angelus that «once this delicate stage has passed, as you know, I will gradually resume my activities, always with the help of God and your prayers.»
The Pope's return comes after a period of medical treatment that had kept him out of public view. Before the general audience, he also received participants in a conference organized by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, signaling a step-by-step resumption of his regular schedule. The Vatican has continued preparations for a planned apostolic journey from November 6 to 17 to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, and further audiences are already on the calendar in the coming days.
His brother, Louis Prevost, offered an upbeat assessment in a weekend interview with the American broadcaster Fox News. «We continue to pray that the biopsy gives a completely negative result and that everything is fine,» he said, adding that the pontiff «is phenomenal» and that the family expects «no bad news.» He explained that «for now, the only thing we know is that during the operation they managed to remove all the cancer and we are waiting for the biopsy results.»
The Pope's reappearance is being read as a sign of stability for the Holy See at a time when the Church is preparing for a demanding international schedule. His decision to ride the popemobile through the square, greeting pilgrims and blessing children, offered a visible contrast to the more restricted appearances that had marked his recovery. The Vatican has not announced a change to the South America trip, and the coming weeks are expected to clarify how fully the Pope will resume his normal workload.
For the faithful who gathered in St. Peter's Square, the audience was an occasion to see the pontiff back in his familiar role. The rainy conditions did not deter him from making the full circuit of the square, and his remarks emphasized gratitude and trust rather than any detailed discussion of his medical condition. The Vatican has said the Pope will continue to be monitored as he gradually takes up his activities again.
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