Pope Leo XIV will not travel to Assisi on October 27, as originally scheduled. That means he will miss a gathering of religious leaders from different faiths who will come together to pray for peace.
GFX
The chest X-ray confirmed that the pope is recovering extremely well from surgery. However, given how recently the operation took place, his doctors have advised against the planned helicopter trip on October 27 as a precaution.
The pope's doctor and surgeon
The gathering carries special historical significance. It marks 40 years since the so-called "Spirit of Assisi." There, Saint John Paul II brought together representatives of different religions to pray for peace, each according to their own tradition.
His recovery has forced him to cancel what would have been his third visit to the home of St. Francis. According to the surgeon who operated on him, the decision was made to help his recovery.
The pope was expected to travel by helicopter, as he did on his two previous visits to Assisi. He went there in November 2025, when he was seen here before the remains of St. Francis.
He returned in August 2026 to meet with young people gathered in honor of the same saint.
The pope is now sending a message of solidarity to leaders of Christian denominations and other religions.
This is the first trip canceled since his cancer surgery. The question now is what happens to his next trip: the apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
