Pope Leo XIV returned to public duties on Wednesday, holding his first general audience since undergoing surgery on October 13 to remove part of a lung affected by cancer. Despite steady rain in Rome, the 71-year-old pontiff rode through St. Peter's Square in the popemobile, greeting pilgrims and blessing children who were brought close to the vehicle.
The pope was discharged from the Gemelli Polyclinic on Saturday and made his first public appearance since the operation at the Sunday Angelus, where he told the faithful he would resume his activities gradually. «Thank you for your support, for your prayers, thanks be to God for his generosity. Let us all renew our trust in the goodness and mercy of God,» he said at the start of Wednesday's audience.
Before the general audience, the pope also met with participants in a conference organized by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, a further sign that he is easing back into his regular schedule. The Vatican has said preparations continue for a planned trip from November 6 to 17 to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, and additional audiences are already on the calendar for the coming days.
During Sunday's Angelus, the pope had explained that he would take up his duties step by step. «Once this delicate stage has passed, as you know, I will gradually resume my activities, always with the help of God and your prayers,» he said. The remark set expectations for a cautious but steady return to the public role that has defined his young pontificate.
His brother, Louis Prevost, offered an upbeat assessment in an interview with the American broadcaster Fox News over the weekend. «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.» He stressed that the family expects no bad news. «For now, all we know is that during the operation they managed to remove all the cancer and we are waiting for the biopsy results,» Prevost added.
The pope's reappearance in the popemobile carries particular weight for the faithful who have followed his recovery closely. The vehicle has long been a symbol of the pope's direct contact with pilgrims, and his decision to use it in the rain, rather than opting for a more sheltered route, was read by many in the square as a sign of his determination to return to normal pastoral life.
Wednesday's audience also underscored the rhythm of the Vatican's calendar, which has continued to move forward during the pope's convalescence. The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints conference, held shortly before the general audience, is part of the routine work of the Holy See, and the pope's presence there suggested that he intends to keep a hand in the administrative and spiritual affairs of the Church even as his medical team monitors his recovery.
The coming weeks will offer further indications of the pope's condition. The planned South American journey, if it goes ahead as scheduled, would be among the most demanding engagements of his tenure, and the Vatican's continued preparation for it signals confidence in his recovery. For now, the image of the pope riding through St. Peter's Square in the rain, blessing children and greeting pilgrims, has given the faithful a visible answer to the prayers he thanked them for.