Carmen Álvarez Cuadrado
The pope being diagnosed with lung cancer, which was successfully removed about 15 days ago, has changed the way the papacy is viewed. It’s become more human.
This is what one of the Vatican’s top officials, Archbishop Gallagher, who works in the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, points out. His position would be equivalent to that of a government’s foreign minister.
ARCH. PAUL RICHARD GALLAGHER, Secretary for Relations with States (Vatican)
When pope Leo is elected and then hits the ground running literally and then has numerous audiences every day for the last year and a half. I think there was a temptation to think, here we have Superman, a superpope. The fact that he has fallen ill with in many ways one of the most common illnesses of our age means that he is a poor mortal like the rest of us.
In fact, Gallagher explains that this short period of recovery will change the way the pope is viewed and even the way he sees himself.
ARCH. PAUL RICHARD GALLAGHER, Secretary for Relations with States (Vatican)
I think the fact that he has fallen ill and even if the operation has gone well and everybody there are grounds for considerable optimism I think it is a bit of a game changer.
What Pope Leo XIV has not lost—and it seems he will not lose—is his desire to travel. His doctors have given him the green light to travel to Latin America, where he will visit Peru, the country of which he is a citizen.
For that reason, it is also expected that sooner rather than later, the pope will return to his native country, the United States. There were rumors about 2026, but the Vatican denied them.
Midterm elections are currently underway, and popes don't usually visit a country while elections are taking place. So the focus might be on 2027.
ARCH. PAUL RICHARD GALLAGHER, Secretary for Relations with States (Vatican)
Is very likely, I would say, in the not too distant future. Whether it will be 27 or later, I really don't know. We'll have to wait and see. Of course, one of the things that will influence it is eventually American elections, because we'll soon be into, well, already into midterm mode. But once that's over, once we get into'27, or late'27... It's going to be really very individual of the presidential elections. So that may may affect an eventual decision on the date.
For now, Pope Leo XIV has resumed his regular schedule as he awaits for November 6, when he will embark on his tour of Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.
