The Vatican says doctors have found no medical reasons to stop pontiff from visiting Uruguay, Argentina and Peru next month.The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Leo XIV will make his planned trip to South America from 6 to 17 November, just over three weeks after he underwent lung surgery.In a statement released on Monday, the Holy See press office said the journey would go ahead according to the itinerary already published. It cited the pope’s doctor, Luigi Carbone, who said the latest medical examinations showed a favourable clinical condition and that there were no contraindications to travel. The 71-year-old pope had the lower lobe of his right lung removed on 13 October and was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma. The Vatican has said the operation at Rome's Gemelli hospital was successful and free of complications, and that follow-up tests showed the disease was localised and no further cancer treatment was needed. The pontiff returned to the Vatican on 17 October and has gradually resumed his duties on a lighter schedule agreed with his doctors. On doctors’ advice, he cancelled a planned day trip to Assisi this week. In the statement, Leo said he was looking forward to returning to “the continent where I’ve experienced so many moments of my life”. The pope will visit Uruguay from 6 to 8 November, Argentina from 8 to 11 November and Peru until 17 November. The journey is his sixth international trip, and the first to Latin America since his election. Peru is the country where he worked for years as a missionary and served as bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. He also holds Peruvian citizenship. The trip ends with a return to Chiclayo. Organisers are taking extra precautions. A Peruvian church official said a specialised ambulance would accompany the papal delegation during the Peru leg, and an ambulance helicopter was being considered for the high-altitude Andean town of Santa Cruz on 14 November. He said the visit to Cusco, planned for 15 November, remained on the programme. The tour will cover around 31,000 km and include more than 30 speeches, making it one of the most demanding foreign trips by a pope in decades. Photo credit: Pierre Laborde / Shutterstock.com

The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Leo XIV will make his planned trip to South America from 6 to 17 November, just over three weeks after he underwent lung surgery. In a statement released on Monday, the Holy See press office said the journey would go ahead according to the itinerary already published. It cited the pope’s doctor, Luigi Carbone, who said the latest medical examinations showed a favourable clinical condition and that there were no contraindications to travel. The 71-year-old pope had the lower lobe of his right lung removed on 13 October and was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma. The Vatican has said the operation at Rome's Gemelli hospital was successful and free of complications, and that follow-up tests showed the disease was localised and no further cancer treatment was needed. The pontiff returned to the Vatican on 17 October and has gradually resumed his duties on a lighter schedule agreed with his doctors. On doctors’ advice, he cancelled a planned day trip to Assisi this week. In the statement, Leo said he was looking forward to returning to “the continent where I’ve experienced so many moments of my life”. The pope will visit Uruguay from 6 to 8 November, Argentina from 8 to 11 November and Peru until 17 November. The journey is his sixth international trip, and the first to Latin America since his election. Peru is the country where he worked for years as a missionary and served as bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. He also holds Peruvian citizenship. The trip ends with a return to Chiclayo. Organisers are taking extra precautions. A Peruvian church official said a specialised ambulance would accompany the papal delegation during the Peru leg, and an ambulance helicopter was being considered for the high-altitude Andean town of Santa Cruz on 14 November. He said the visit to Cusco, planned for 15 November, remained on the programme. The tour will cover around 31,000 km and include more than 30 speeches, making it one of the most demanding foreign trips by a pope in decades. Photo credit: Pierre Laborde / Shutterstock.com