Sunday, October 25, 2026 - Pope Leo XIV has cancelled a planned visit to Assisi, Italy, scheduled for October 27, 2026, after doctors advised him to avoid travel while recovering from lung cancer surgery. The 71-year-old pontiff was due to attend an interfaith peace gathering marking the 40th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace.
The Vatican announced the cancellation on October 23, stressing that the decision was a precaution to support his recovery following an operation on October 13 to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. The announcement has drawn international attention as the head of the Catholic Church gradually resumes his public duties.
Despite the cancellation, the Vatican has delivered encouraging medical updates. A follow-up chest X-ray confirmed that the pope’s postoperative recovery was progressing very well. Further examinations also established that his lung adenocarcinoma was localised, and doctors said no additional cancer treatment was necessary.
Medical advisers nevertheless recommended that he avoid the planned helicopter journey because too little time had passed since the operation. Pope Leo, who was discharged from hospital on October 17, has already returned to St Peter’s Square for his weekly audience and is gradually resuming his responsibilities.
The pope will send a message to organisers and religious leaders attending the Assisi gathering, reaffirming his support for dialogue and peace at a time of international conflict. Attention is also turning to his planned November 6–17 apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, although the Vatican has not yet confirmed whether that trip will proceed as scheduled.
For now, the priority remains allowing the pontiff sufficient time to recover while maintaining his essential duties. The latest developments underline the Vatican’s cautious approach to his health, balancing an encouraging medical outlook with the need to avoid unnecessary physical strain during recovery.
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