Pope Leo cancels Assisi trip as he recovers from surgery

Summary

Pope Leo XIV will not travel to Assisi on Tuesday, October 27, for a major interfaith peace gathering, the Vatican said Friday. He is still recovering from thoracic surgery he underwent last week, and the cancellation was made on doctors' advice. Euronews reports that a follow-up chest X-ray confirmed he was recovering well, but because so little time has passed since the operation, his doctors recommended as a precaution that he not make the trip to Assisi by helicopter. The Straits Times reports that the 71-year-old pontiff had the surgery after being diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma.

Timeline

1. ABC News

   23 Oct 2026, 08:16 UTCSource ↗

   ABC News reports that Pope Leo XIV will not travel to Assisi on Tuesday for a major interfaith peace gathering because he is continuing to recover from thoracic surgery he underwent last week, the Vatican said Friday.

2. The Straits Times

   23 Oct 2026, 08:16 UTCSource ↗

   The Straits Times reports that Pope Leo has called off his Assisi peace visit on doctors' advice and that the 71-year-old pontiff had been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma before his surgery.

3. Euronews

   23 Oct 2026, 09:52 UTCSource ↗

   Euronews reports that the pope's doctors said a follow-up chest X-ray confirmed he was recovering well, but recommended as a precaution that he not make the trip to Assisi by helicopter.