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Pope Leo XIV Begins South America Tour Post-Surgery
Confirmed
In Short: Three weeks after undergoing lung cancer surgery, Pope Leo XIV embarked on a 12-day tour of South America, beginning in Uruguay on Friday.
Pope Leo XIV continues visit to South America. CBS 8 San Diego
Three weeks after undergoing lung cancer surgery, Pope Leo XIV embarked on an 12-day tour of South America, beginning in Uruguay on Friday. The 71-year-old pontiff arrived in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, after an 13-hour and 30-minute flight from Rome, covering more than 6,900 miles over France, Algeria, Mauritania, Senegal, and Brazil before landing at 4:30 p.m. Local time (2:30 p.m. UTC).
Pope Leo XIV, who is the first US-born pope, declared he felt better than he looked and credited his recovery to God, his doctors, and his healthy lifestyle. He acknowledged that some people had doubted whether he could make the grueling trip, but he arrived in Uruguay in 'fairly good shape,' according to Vatican officials.
On Saturday, Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass in South America, urging an estimated 40,000 people in Uruguay to build bridges of fraternity and faith. He used the occasion to deliver an ode to the region’s beloved mate tea and raise the profile of the Catholic Church in its most secular country.
Pope Leo XIV's doctors are confident about his recovery and have ensured that he will have plenty of medical care on board during the trip. The Vatican press office confirmed that the pope's recovery continues to progress in line with favorable assessments from his medical team.
The pope's visit to Uruguay is expected to be somewhat uncomfortable for the government, according to political commentator Carlos Pagni, given the country's liberal stance on issues such as same-sex marriage, abortion, and euthanasia.
Background
Pope Leo XIV began his first visit to South America with a call to protect life from its beginning in the womb until its natural end, emphasizing the dignity and protection due to the unborn.
What's confirmed
- ROME -- Three weeks after lung cancer surgery, Pope Leo XIV opened a three-nation tour of Latin America on Friday by declaring he felt better than he looked and crediting God, good doctors and his healthy lifestyle with his quick recovery.
- The 71-year-old pope arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay, Latin America’s most secular country, after a 13 1/2-hour flight from Rome during which he acknowledged “some people” had doubted whether he could make the gruelling, 12-day trip at all.
- Pope Leo XIV arrived in Uruguay, where he will celebrate a Mass on Saturday, as he began a 12-day tour of South America in "fairly good shape."
- Pope Leo is travelling to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru Pope Leo XIV is beginning a lengthy trip to Latin America just three weeks after surgery for lung cancer - a tour that includes a much-anticipated "homecoming" to Peru where he was a priest for many years.
- Outlets did split on UKMTO Reports Incident Involving Bulk Carrier And Military Forces East Of Khorfakkan → Pope Leo XIV arrived in Uruguay on Friday to begin a 12-day tour of South America, three weeks after undergoing lung cancer surgery that had put the trip into question.
What's still developing
- Pope Leo XIV departed from Rome en route to Latin America on Friday morning to begin a 12-day Apostolic journey through Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.
- Matteo Bruni, Holy See Press Office director, said “about 36 speeches” of the pope will be delivered during the journey.
- According to the announcement, the pope will begin his journey by departing Rome on Nov.
- 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.
- Pope Leo's trip to South America next month will go ahead as planned, the Vatican said Monday, confirming the papal visit nearly two weeks after the pontiff's lung-cancer surgery.
- Pope Leo XIV departs from Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Fiumicino, near Rome, for Montevideo, Uruguay, at the start of his twelve-day apostolic journey to South America, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026.
- Pope Francis — who died in April 2025 — was born in Buenos Aires and never once returned to his homeland during his entire pontificate, a conspicuous absence that defined part of his legacy.
Sources
- ABC7 Los Angeleslink
- Africanewslink
- Al Jazeeralink
- Archdiocese of Miamilink
- BBClink
- Breitbartlink
- CatholicPhillylink
- Kuwait Timeslink
- Le Monde.frlink
- Michigan Publiclink
- NPRlink
- NewsCordlink
- OSV Newslink
- Toronto Starlink
- Angelusnewslink
- Batimeslink
- CBS 8 San Diego — video link
- NBC News — video link
- DW News — video link
- CBS Mornings — video link
- ABC News — video link