Pope Leo XIV will not travel to Assisi next Tuesday for a major interfaith peace gathering as he continues to recover from thoracic surgery performed last week, the Vatican announced on Friday. The 71-year-old pontiff had been scheduled to attend an event on October 27 marking the 40th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s World Day of Prayer for Peace.
In a statement, the Vatican confirmed that medical professionals advised the pope against the trip to facilitate his recovery. Instead of attending in person, Pope Leo will send a message to the event organizers, Christian and other religious leaders, and the guests gathered for the program, which is titled “Disarmed and Disarming Peace.” The meeting serves to commemorate the landmark interfaith peace gathering originally convened by St. John Paul II in 1986.
The Vatican noted that the pope wishes to express his closeness to the participants and reiterate his belief that the “spirit of Assisi,” along with dialogue and the search for gestures of peace, remain vital resources during times of conflict. Officials have stated that all of the pope's activities moving forward will be guided by medical advice.
This development follows the Vatican's announcement on Wednesday that Pope Leo requires no further oncological treatment, as tests confirmed that the lung cancer was localized. The pope underwent surgery last Tuesday to remove part of one lung, marking the first major health event of his 17-month pontificate. Pathological tests confirmed the presence of adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer.
