Pope Leo says he felt close to faithful through prayers during recovery
The Pope returned to the Vatican’s traditional midday prayer on Sunday after being discharged from Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Hospital on Saturday.
VATICAN, October 18 — After undergoing lung surgery, Pope Leo XIV made his first public appearance, addressing worshippers in St Peter’s Square and expressing his closeness to them through their prayers. The Pope had been discharged from Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Hospital on Saturday, following a procedure to remove a portion of his right lung.
Pope Leo’s return to the traditional midday prayer came the following day, after a period of recovery during which he continued to receive medical care and support. At the Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on Jesus’ response to a question about paying taxes, stating that it exposed the hypocrisy of those seeking to trap him, while emphasizing the importance of remaining faithful to God amidst the demands of daily life.
"God is not afraid of history, but comes to dwell within it," he noted, highlighting that the kingdom of God does not disregard human responsibilities. The Pope urged Christians to live faithfully, without compromising their values, resisting selfish ambitions and unjust motives, and to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness. He called on believers to be truthful and free from hypocrisy, describing this as a way to live without fear and to remain "free to do good."
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
