Pope Leo says he will gradually resume duties after cancer surgery

Pope Leo XIV thanked thousands of faithful in St. Peter's Square on Sunday for their prayers while he was hospitalized, and said he plans to gradually return to his usual duties.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1919x1279+0+0/resize/1919x1279!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0b%2F4c%2F028622124a108d72e3827ab507f1%2Fap26291371602024.jpg' alt='Pope Leo XIV appears at the window of his study in the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican for the traditional noon blessing after praying the Angelus, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, a day after he returned from the hospital, where he had lung cancer removed on Tuesday.'/><p>Pope Leo XIV thanked thousands of faithful in St. Peter's Square on Sunday for their prayers while he was hospitalized, and said he plans to gradually return to his usual duties.</p><p>(Image credit: Alessandra Tarantino)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=g-s1-148654' />