Vatican News / Fr. Łukasz Bankowski, Salvatore Cernuzio – Vatican City
Surgery in the coming days
As Matteo Bruni reported, the Holy Father will go to the hospital on Tuesday, October 13, in the late morning.
According to previous information from the Holy See Press Office, the expected hospitalization time after the procedure is about a week.
Leo XIV, who since yesterday has been receiving wishes for a recovery from Churches and political authorities from five continents, kept all scheduled audiences for Monday morning. However, he canceled his participation in the afternoon sessions of the meeting dedicated to Amoris laetitia, taking place in the Paul VI Hall on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the publication of this exhortation.
Director Bruni did not provide information on how long other private audiences and the Holy Father’s public activities have been suspended.
“I entrust myself to your prayers”
Leo XIV announced his health problems on Sunday, October 11, at the end of the Angelus prayer.
“Dearest ones, recently, during check-ups, doctors detected a small, localized nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is well-located,” the Pope said.
The Holy Father explained that doctors recommended surgical intervention, which is why he decided to have the nodule removed. In conclusion, he addressed the faithful: “Thank you for your spiritual closeness and I entrust myself to your prayers.”
Tuesday’s hospitalization will be the next stage of the treatment announced by the Pope.
Changes to the Pope’s schedule
The operation and the Holy Father’s subsequent hospital stay mean “the necessity to also introduce changes in the way we plan the course of our meeting,” explained Fr. Giacomo Costa, responsible for the summit’s methodology and a consultor to the General Secretariat of the Synod, during a briefing at the Holy See Press Office.
One of the changes concerns the Holy Mass scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, in St. Peter’s Square, with the participation of all event attendees: heads of Eastern Churches, presidents of episcopal conferences, married couples, and experts.
Of course, the celebration will not be presided over by the Pope. The Holy Father himself decided to entrust its presidency to Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, recently elected Dean of the College of Cardinals. “During the Mass, we will pray in a special way for the health of the Holy Father, as well as for the intention of families,” Costa said.
The Pope on the report from the meeting on Amoris laetitia
Another change concerns the summary report that was to be prepared at the end of the summit. As the Jesuit informed, the Pope “wished to listen to the participants and speak,” which is why he “also asked that the report not be published, contrary to earlier assumptions, because he would like to listen to it and present his own position.”
Leo XIV therefore reserves the right to review the document and “after leaving the hospital, return to the gathered materials in order to be able to speak.”
“I think,” Costa noted, “that what is beautiful is his desire to listen, not letting the meeting simply pass by, but creating the opportunity to speak a word that will help the entire Church in its commitment.”
