{
  "id": 15400954,
  "title": "Faithful gather to welcome Pope Leo back for Sunday blessing after cancer surgery",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/faithful-gather-to-welcome-pope-leo-back-for-sunday-blessing-after-15400954",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-18T11:37:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/world/20261018/faithful-gather-to-welcome-pope-leo-back-for-sunday-blessing-after-cancer-surgery"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Catholic devotees gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday to greet Pope Leo XIV upon his return to the Vatican following lung cancer surgery. The 71-year-old pontiff arrived at the hospital on Tuesday, where doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung, confirming he had adenocarcinoma, the most frequent type of lung cancer. Despite the recent operation, Pope Leo expressed that he felt \"much better\" as he left the Gemelli hospital to return to the Vatican, well ahead of the expected week-long hospital stay. Onlookers, including retired factory worker Cosimo Mastrocinque from Puglia, marveled at the apparent swift recovery, remarking that it was a \"miracle he recovered already.\" American tourists, in particular, expressed eagerness to join the pope in prayer during the traditional Angelus blessing, marking his first official event since the surgery.",
  "summary": "VATICAN CITY — Catholic faithful converged on St. Peter’s Square on Sunday to welcome Pope Leo XIV back to the Vatican after surgery to remove a tumor from his lung. Leo is delivering the traditional Angelus blessing, his first official appointment since being released from the hospital on Saturday, four days after cancer surgery. The 71-year-old pontiff had the lower lobe of his right lung…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 12,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "Pope Leo XIV set for first public appearance after cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/pope-leo-xiv-set-for-first-public-appearance-after-cancer-surgery",
        "published": "2026-10-17T06:33:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "Pope to return to Vatican after cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/pope-to-return-to-vatican-after-cancer-surgery",
        "published": "2026-10-17T11:13:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "Vatican says Pope Leo to be released from the hospital after lung cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/vatican-says-pope-leo-to-be-released-from-the-hospital-after-lung",
        "published": "2026-10-17T11:18:32.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Pope to return to Vatican after cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/pope-to-return-to-vatican-after-cancer-surgery-15199322",
        "published": "2026-10-17T12:46:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "Pope Leo leaves hospital for Vatican four days after lung cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/pope-leo-leaves-hospital-for-vatican-four-days-after-lung-cancer",
        "published": "2026-10-17T14:45:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Pope Leo discharged from hospital after lung cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/pope-leo-discharged-from-hospital-after-lung-cancer-surgery",
        "published": "2026-10-17T15:26:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Pope Leo discharged from Rome hospital ahead of schedule after successful lung surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/pope-leo-discharged-from-rome-hospital-ahead-of-schedule-after",
        "published": "2026-10-18T02:35:58.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Sydney Morning Herald",
        "title": "Pope Leo emerges from hospital after cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/pope-leo-emerges-from-hospital-after-cancer-surgery",
        "published": "2026-10-18T08:01:58.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Age",
        "title": "Pope Leo emerges from hospital after cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/pope-leo-emerges-from-hospital-after-cancer-surgery-15381851",
        "published": "2026-10-18T08:01:58.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Faithful gather to welcome Pope Leo back for Sunday blessing after cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/faithful-gather-to-welcome-pope-leo-back-for-sunday-blessing-after",
        "published": "2026-10-18T09:41:55.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Faithful gather to welcome Pope Leo back for Sunday blessing after cancer surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/faithful-gather-to-welcome-pope-leo-back-for-sunday-blessing-after-15397232",
        "published": "2026-10-18T11:12:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}