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Pope Leo XIV's Surgeon Clears Path for South America Trip

9:10 PM ETConfirmed

Faith Desk

In Short: Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the surgeon who operated on Pope Leo XIV, said there are no clinical reasons to prevent the Pope from traveling to South America as scheduled from November 6 to 17.

Calling him 'an ideal patient,' Margaritora noted that upon his discharge from the hospital, Leo was in entirely satisfactory clinical condition with completely normal blood test results and heart function.

Margaritora added that the Pope's lung adenocarcinoma was discovered during routine abdominal examinations, underscoring the importance of regular preventive checkups.

The surgeon also highlighted that the Pope's determination to recover quickly has been effective in every respect and is truly commendable.

Margaritora stated, 'Holy Father, we can do that,' indicating that the Pope's recovery is progressing normally and that there are no clinical reasons to cancel his planned trip.

The Vatican has published the schedule for Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to Latin America, where he will visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.

According to the announcement, the Pope will begin his journey by departing Rome on Nov. 6 at 7:50 a.m. and will pay a courtesy visit to the president of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, at his residence at the Edificio José Artigas at 6:15 p.m.

Pope Leo XIV will be the first pope to visit Uruguay since St. John Paul II.

The Argentine leg of the trip will include a visit to the Federal Penitentiary Complex in Buenos Aires, aimed at delivering a direct message of hope to the most vulnerable sectors and marginalized communities.

In Peru, the Pope will hold important meetings with communities of Amazonian peoples in the department of Ucayali, strengthening ties with the local Church.

Pope Leo XIV thanked Catholics worldwide for their prayers five days after undergoing lung cancer surgery, expressing gratitude for the support he received during his recovery.

Background

What's confirmed

• Calling him “an ideal patient,” Margaritora said that upon his discharge from the hospital Leo “was in entirely satisfactory clinical condition” with completely normal blood test results and heart function.
• “In the Holy Father’s case, he had no respiratory symptoms and felt perfectly well,” the doctor noted.
• “His determination to recover quickly has been effective in every respect” and “truly commendable,” he pointed out.
• The surgeon indicated that the Holy Father’s lung adenocarcinoma was discovered during routine abdominal examinations, which underscores the importance of regular preventive checkups.
• “The lung’s re-expansion after surgery is proceeding according to the usual timetable,” and “overall, his condition is good,” Margaritora added.
• The pope has “put his heart and soul” into his recovery, Margaritora said.
• “Holy Father, we can do that,” Margaritora recounted.
• Stefano Margaritora, who called Pope Leo “an ideal patient.” Pope Leo XIV has received the green light from his surgeon to proceed with his planned Nov.
• Thursday, the Catholic Church declared Illinois-born Archbishop Fulton Sheen “Blessed” at his Mass of Beatification held at The Dome at America’s Center in St.
• The Vatican has published the schedule for Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to Latin America, where he will visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from Nov. 6–17.
• According to the announcement, the Pope will begin his journey by departing Rome on Nov. 6 at 7:50 a.m.
• At 6:15 p.m., the Pope will pay a courtesy visit to the president of Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, at his residence at the Edificio José Artigas.

What's still developing

• Leo surfaced the news himself on Sunday, Oct. 11, from the Apostolic Palace window during the Angelus, describing the nodule as detected "at a very early stage."
• For a pope born in Chicago but shaped by nearly two decades of missionary service in Peru — where he contracted typhoid fever in 1985 during his first assignment in Chulucanas, a near-fatal ordeal he later described as a turning point that called him back to the country — the November trip was never administrative.
• Professor Stefano Margaritora, the surgeon who operated on Pope Leo XIV, said he sees no medical reason why the pope’s upcoming apostolic trip to South America should not go ahead.
• Students, faculty, and administrators at The Catholic University of America gathered on Sept. 3, 2026, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the university’s Votive Mass for the Holy Spirit, celebrated annually to mark the start of the academic year.
• This initial stop will serve to strengthen ties with the local Church and thus respond to the desire expressed by the Bishop of Rome himself to return to Latin America, following his recent meetings with the Uruguayan episcopate at the Apostolic See.
• The Oct. 17 announcement of the pope’s imminent discharge from the hospital the day prior came earlier than previously expected, as the Holy See Press Office had originally indicated that the pope would remain in the hospital for about a week following his Oct. 13 admission to Gemelli on the day of his surgery. — Pope’s surgeon praised Pope Leo as an ‘ideal’ patient, said pope can go to South America — Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the lead surgeon for Pope Leo’s 90-minute lung cancer operation on Oct. 13, said in an interview with Vatican News on the day of his hospital discharge that he saw no clinical reason to cancel the pope’s planned trip to South America.
• “As for a long trip involving air travel in about three weeks, I would say there are no clinical reasons why it should not take place,” Margaritora said, indicating that he believed from a medical standpoint that Pope Leo could be ready to undertake the demanding visit to Latin America scheduled for Nov. 6-17.
• “I would like to thank all those who have prayed for me in recent days,” the 71-year-old pope told the crowd in Italian.
• More than 5,000 of you have now written to Pope Leo XIV through our Get Well Letter, and Letters from Leo will carry every one of them to the Vatican.
• Sheen took place at The Dome at America’s Center in St.

Sources

• ACI Africalink
• EWTN Newslink
• Latin Timeslink
• Thetabletlink
• Ndsmcobserverlink
• Ncregisterlink
• Ewtnnewslink
• Catholicconnectlink
• Cathstanlink
• Exaudilink
• Iobservelink
• Thelettersfromleolink
• Newslink
• WarpBeat — background on Pope’s surgeon: No clinical reason to cancel visit to South America link
• WarpBeat — background on Pope Leo's Surgeon Says No Clinical Reasons to Cancel Latin America Trip link
• The Tablet's Sunday In The City — video link