Pope Leo XIV will go ahead with his planned November 6–17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, the Vatican confirmed on Monday, October 26, indicating that the 71-year-old pontiff's recovery from lung cancer surgery is on track and that he is fit enough to make the journey.
"The Holy Father's recovery after the surgery continues, and the latest medical examinations attest to his good health and favorable clinical condition," the Vatican said in a statement, citing the pope's personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone.
"Based on his current clinical status, as well as the instrumental and laboratory tests performed, there are no contraindications that would prevent him from undertaking his upcoming apostolic journey to Latin America as planned," Dr. Luigi Carbone said in the statement released by the Holy See Press Office on October 26.
The Vatican also announced on October 26 that the pope needs no further treatment after the surgery.
The surgery
Surgeons on October 13 removed the lower lobe of the pope's right lung, where a nodule later diagnosed as malignant was located, in the first major health event of Pope Leo XIV's 17-month pontificate. The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.
Since returning to the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV has gradually resumed his activities while adjusting his schedule to prioritize recovery and periods of rest, the Vatican statement said.
A homecoming to the continent that shaped him
The pope's South America tour is set to be one of the most intense foreign trips taken by a Catholic leader in decades. The pope is scheduled to travel some 31,000 kilometers (19,300 miles) over the 10-city tour and give 36 speeches, with a dozen flights and two helicopter rides to high altitudes, and the Vatican said the trip would proceed with no changes to the previously published agenda.
Pope Leo XIV spent decades as a missionary in Peru before his predecessor Francis called him back to Rome in 2023 and promoted him to Vatican positions, so the trip will mark a homecoming of sorts for the first U.S. pontiff.
"I am looking forward to returning to the continent where I've experienced so many moments of my life," Pope Leo XIV said on Monday. "May this journey be an occasion for us to open our hearts to one another, strengthen our communion as brothers and sisters, and renew our commitment to proclaiming the Gospel with joy."
"The Holy Father looks forward with great joy and enthusiasm to this journey," the Vatican statement added, highlighting that the trip will offer "opportunities to strengthen the bonds of communion with the local Churches, encourage the faithful in their mission, and bring a message of faith, hope, and peace."
Fuentes: Reuters, 26 oct 2026; AP, 26 oct 2026; Caracol, 26 oct 2026.