Pope Leo XIV thanks supporters in first public appearance after cancer surgery

Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, appeared in public for the first time since undergoing lung cancer surgery. On Sunday he recited the Angelus, a traditional Catholic prayer, from a window of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. It was his first public engagement since the operation.

The surgery took place only a few days earlier. The pope had previously been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer.

Thanks to wellwishers

After the prayer, he thanked the people who have prayed for him in recent days and said he appreciated their support.

He also said he would gradually return to his commitments as he recovers. The source does not say which events are planned for him in the coming period or how long his recovery is expected to take.

The pope's health draws international attention because he leads the worldwide Catholic Church.