Pope Leo XIV cancels Assisi trip on doctors' advice as he recovers from lung surgery

Pontiff to send a message to interfaith peace gathering instead

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Pope Leo XIV will miss a planned trip to Assisi next week after doctors advised against the helicopter journey while he recovers from surgery for lung cancer, the Vatican said on Friday. The pope, who had part of one lung removed last week, will instead send a message to the interfaith peace gathering he had been due to attend.

Pope Leo XIV has cancelled a trip to Assisi scheduled for next week on the advice of his doctors, who recommended he not travel by helicopter so soon after thoracic surgery, the Vatican said on Friday.

The pope had been due to attend a gathering on Tuesday marking the 40th anniversary of St. John Paul II's World Day of Prayer for Peace. The event, titled "Disarmed and Disarming Peace," commemorates the landmark interfaith peace meeting convened by St. John Paul II in 1986.

The Vatican said the pope was advised not to travel "to facilitate his recovery" from the surgery to treat his lung cancer. He will send a message to organisers, Christian and other religious leaders, and guests instead.

In that message, the pope wanted to express his closeness to participants and reaffirm his belief that the "spirit of Assisi," dialogue and the search for words and gestures of peace remain valuable resources at a time of conflict, the Vatican said.

In a separate statement, the pope's doctors said a follow-up chest X-ray confirmed he was recovering well. However, given the short time that has elapsed since the operation, they recommended as a precaution that he not make the journey to Assisi by helicopter.

The pope had part of one lung removed last week in the first major health event of his 17-month pontificate. The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. The Vatican said tests confirmed the disease was localised and the pope will need no further treatment.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The cancellation is the first public sign of limits from the first major health event of the pontificate, and Catholics worldwide will watch the recovery closely.
The Assisi gathering is a landmark interfaith event of the modern papacy; the pope's absence changes the character of Tuesday's commemoration.
The Vatican's confirmation that the cancer was localised and requires no further treatment resolves the most serious medical question raised by the diagnosis.

Background

Pope Leo XIV was elected 17 months ago. The Assisi meeting he was to attend commemorates the interfaith World Day of Prayer for Peace convened by St. John Paul II in 1986, an event widely seen as a milestone in Catholic engagement with other religions. The pope's doctors removed part of one lung last week and confirmed the tumour was adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, but said the disease was localised. Papal health has historically drawn intense public interest, and the Vatican has issued regular updates since the surgery.

Key Perspectives

The Vatican and the pope's doctors: They describe the recovery as on track, with a chest X-ray confirming progress, and frame the cancelled trip as a precautionary measure rather than a setback. The pope himself: According to the Vatican, he remains committed to the spirit of the Assisi gathering and will convey his closeness to organisers and religious leaders in writing. Observers of the Vatican: The key question will be how quickly the pope returns to his full schedule of audiences, travel and public events, given that this was the first major health event of his pontificate.

What to Watch

The content and tone of the pope's message to the Assisi gathering on Tuesday.
Any further Vatican statements on the pope's recovery and return to public duties.
Whether the pope resumes regular public appearances and travel in the coming weeks.

Sources

Pope Leo XIV cancels Assisi trip on doctors' advice as he recovers from surgery · Euronews

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11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.

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SupportedPope Leo XIV cancelled his planned Assisi trip next week on doctors’ advice while recovering from lung surgery.Euronews: “Pope Leo XIV will miss a planned trip to Assisi next week after doctors advised against the helicopter journey to the Italian town as he recovers from thoracic surgery, the Vatican said Friday.”
SupportedDoctors recommended that the pope not travel to Assisi by helicopter so soon after the operation.Euronews: “given the short time that has elapsed since the operation, they recommended as a precaution that he not make the trip to Assisi by helicopter.”
SupportedThe pope will send a message to the gathering instead of attending.Euronews: “The pope will instead send a message to organisers, Christian and other religious leaders, and guests attending the event, titled “Disarmed and Disarming Peace.””
SupportedThe Assisi gathering is scheduled for Tuesday and marks the 40th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s World Day of Prayer for Peace.Euronews: “He had been due to attend a gathering on Tuesday marking the 40th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s World Day of Prayer for Peace.”
SupportedThe event is titled “Disarmed and Disarming Peace” and commemorates the interfaith peace gathering convened by St. John Paul II in 1986.Euronews: “The Assisi meeting commemorates the landmark interfaith peace gathering convened by St. John Paul II in 1986.”
SupportedThe Vatican said the pope was advised not to travel “to facilitate his recovery”.Euronews: “In a statement, the Vatican said the pope was advised not to travel “to facilitate his recovery” from the surgery to treat his lung cancer last week.”
SupportedThe pope wanted to express closeness to participants and affirm the value of the “spirit of Assisi,” dialogue and the search for words and gestures of peace amid conflict.Euronews: “The Vatican said Pope Leo XIV wanted to express his closeness to participants and reaffirm his belief that the “spirit of Assisi,” dialogue and the search for words and gestures of peace remain valuable resources at a time of conflict.”
SupportedThe pope’s doctors said a follow-up chest X-ray confirmed he was recovering well.Euronews: “In a separate statement, the pope's doctors said a follow-up chest X-ray confirmed he was recovering well.”
SupportedThe pope had part of one lung removed last week.Euronews: “The pope had part of one lung removed last week in the first major health event of his 17-month pontificate.”
SupportedThe surgery confirmed the pope had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.Euronews: “The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer.”
SupportedTests confirmed the disease was localised and the pope will need no further treatment.Euronews: “The pope will need no further treatment for lung cancer after tests confirmed the disease was localised, the Vatican said.”