Pope Leo South America Tour After Surgery
Pope Leo XIV left Rome on Friday for a 12-day tour of South America, a month after surgery to remove part of his right lung. The Pope Leo South America tour will take him through Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, and it is the most demanding trip of his pontificate so far.
The pope departed from Rome’s Fiumicino airport early on Friday morning. He is due to arrive in Uruguay at 4.30pm local time. He will stay there until Sunday, visiting three cities, before three days in Argentina and six days in Peru.
The Vatican said this week that the pope had completely healed from his operation. No special precautions are being taken for the tour. He will travel some 31,000 kilometres across 10 cities and give 36 speeches.
The Pope Leo South America tour: a homecoming to Peru
Leo is the first pope born in the United States. He was born in Chicago, but he spent around two decades in Peru as a missionary and bishop. He became a Peruvian citizen, and the return to Peru is the emotional centre of the trip.
The tour is expected to draw millions-strong crowds. It covers Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17. The pope will take 14 flights, including two by helicopter, and take part in around 50 events.
One stop will test his recovery more than any other. In Peru he will visit Cusco, a city 3,399 metres above sea level, where there is 35 per cent less oxygen in each breath. Doctors have cleared him to fly, and his surgeon said there were “no clinical reasons why this visit should not take place”.
The surgery last month
Leo, 71, had surgery on October 13 to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. Doctors found lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. They said the disease was localised and he would not need further treatment.
The operation was announced on October 12, and the pope returned to the Vatican days after the surgery. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope had recovered enough that no extra medical measures would be necessary during the trip.
Medical experts told Reuters that the decision to clear him to fly showed the risk of complications was low. They said his operated lung had fully expanded and the surgical wounds were healing without signs of infection.
A lung specialist told CNN the risk of a medical emergency on the trip was “low”. Dr Matthew Triplette, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, said it could include a collapsed lung or blood clots. A medical team will travel with the pope, but the Vatican stressed that no special measures are being taken.
What the pope will say
The pope is also expected to address regional instability during the tour. South America faces political tension in several countries, and the Vatican has not said which issues he will raise in each speech.
For Leo, the trip is a statement of intent. It shows that the lung surgery has not slowed the pace of his pontificate. It also returns him to the region where he built his reputation as a pastor before his election.
Feature Pakistan has followed the pope’s health since the surgery was announced. He returned to the Vatican days after the operation, he later voted in the United States midterm elections and he has spoken with President Vladimir Putin about a ceasefire in Ukraine. His return to the Vatican after the cancer surgery was covered here.
How long is Pope Leo’s South America tour?
Twelve days, from November 6 to 17. He will visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, covering 31,000 kilometres across 10 cities.
What surgery did Pope Leo have?
On October 13 he had surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. Doctors found lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, and said it was localised.
Does he need further treatment?
No. His doctors said the disease was localised and he would not require any further treatment. The Vatican said he had completely healed.
Why is the Peru leg a homecoming?
Leo spent around two decades in Peru as a missionary and bishop, and he became a Peruvian citizen. The visit returns him to the country where he built his reputation as a pastor.
