Pope Leo XIV Says He Is Fit for Nov. 6-17 Latin America Trip Despite Recent Lung Surgery

Vatican communicators said at a Nov. 3 briefing in the Vatican Press Office that Pope Leo XIV, a little over three weeks after his surgery for lung cancer, is “personally enthusiastic about this trip,” with “the ordinary medical assistance” in force. The Nov. 6-17 journey will be the first papal visit to Latin America of his pontificate.

Over 12 days, the pope will celebrate nine public Masses, visit seven cathedrals and preside over two stadium prayer vigils. Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, said “about 36 speeches” will be delivered during the trip.

Maria Monstserrat Alvarado, who assumed her position as prefect of the Dicastery for Communication on Nov. 1, spoke to journalists at her first press conference in that role. She said the pope “is going to give you a lot of improvised texts to work with,” which she described as a “beautiful thing” because “he wants to share his heart and we want to help him do that.” She said the pope is “excited” about his longest trip of the pontificate so far, that he “confirmed this trip with no changes,” and that he is “grateful” for the prayers and expressions of medical concern.

Journalists repeatedly asked during the briefing about the health challenges of changing altitudes and of helicopter flights into the Andes, roughly a month after part of the pope’s lung was removed in an Oct. 13 surgery. Bruni said there is “no particular accommodation or particular equipment which is being used” for medical reasons, and noted that the pope had said in an Oct. 26 statement that “the plan is as it is,” with no changes to the initial schedule planned because of his recent hospital stay. Bruni said the surgery “does not create a permanent condition” and pointed to Pope Francis, who had also lost part of a lung and traveled without disruption. “Based on what the doctors have told us, no therapy is required, and he is clinically fit to undertake this trip,” Bruni said.

Alvarado also referred to the pope’s Nov. 2 All Souls’ Mass at the Campo Verano Cemetery. “I don’t know if you all watched yesterday’s Mass. His stamina is fantastic,” she said, adding that “the way that he’s singing is incredible.” She said the pope had passed the 14-day recovery period required before he could be tested. His doctors, she said, “are very confident,” and “he’ll have plenty of medical care on board should something happen.”

The journey begins Nov. 6 with a flight of more than 14 hours covering 6,900 miles from Rome to Montevideo, Uruguay. The pope will then travel to a new destination nearly every day, including a 2,200-mile flight from Buenos Aires to Lima and a military helicopter flight on Nov. 14 to the Andean mountain town of Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, Peru. The return flight from Lima to Rome covers 6,700 miles. By comparison, Pope Leo traveled 11,000 miles over 11 days earlier this year on his trip to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.

Pope Leo first arrived in Peru in 1985, and he has said missionary work there shaped his vision for the universal Church. He was appointed bishop there, and he experienced both the challenges and the joys of shepherding his flock. The trip culminates with a return to Chiclayo, Peru, where he served as bishop from 2015 to 2023 (Psalm 78:4).

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