Pilgrims emotional at St Peter’s Square during Pope’s first public engagement since surgery

Some pilgrims in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican cried and were visibly emotional when Pope Leo held his first public engagement on Sunday (October 18) since getting discharged from hospital for his lung cancer surgery. 

The pope recited the Angelus prayer from the window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. Some in the audience cheered and applauded when the pontiff appeared with a smile at the window. 

A man from Terni, Italy, Lucio Astolfi, said that it was “quite a moving experience” and seeing “all these people waiting for him was wonderful.”

After the prayer, Pope Leo thanked the people who had prayed for him in recent days and said he appreciated the support. He also commented he will now gradually continue with his commitments as he recovers.

The pontiff had left the hospital just one day before. His doctors had said earlier that he was well enough to return home after they carried out the latest blood tests and chest imaging, and that he was able to perform normal daily activities independently.

He was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer and had surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.