Pope Leo XIV's doctors have cleared him to fly to South America next month, just two weeks after lung cancer surgery. The 12 day trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru goes ahead exactly as planned, Cusco included.

The Holy See Press Office confirmed it on Monday 26 October. The Pope's own words in the statement carry the warmth of a man going home. "I am looking forward to returning to the continent where I've experienced so many moments of my life," he said, in the Vatican's own English translation.

What the doctors said

The statement was written in Italian and published in English and Spanish too. It gives the Pope a clean bill of health for travel. The quotes here come from the Vatican's English translation. Rome's ZENIT news agency called it one of the longest medical reports the Vatican has released.

File photo of the Cathedral of Chiclayo in Peru, where Pope Leo XIV served as bishop, September 2018. Photo by Frank Coronel Mendoza via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped.

"Dr. Luigi Carbone confirms that the Holy Father's recovery after the surgery continues, and the latest medical examinations attest to his good health and favorable clinical condition," it says. "Based on his current clinical status, as well as the instrumental and laboratory tests performed, there are no contraindications that would prevent him from undertaking his upcoming apostolic journey to Latin America as planned."

It also repeats the best news from the surgery itself. "Subsequent medical examinations confirmed that the condition was localized and that no further oncological treatment is necessary."

And it describes a patient doing as he's told. "The Pope is following medical recommendations with great care and diligence, and with a deep determination to continue serving the Church."

From surgery to Saint Peter's Square

It's been a fast fortnight. Leo had surgery on 13 October, when doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung after finding a malignant tumour, CBS News reports. The cancer, a lung adenocarcinoma, was found by accident during a routine abdominal examination. We reported at the time that the surgery was a success.

He left hospital on 17 October. Since then, the Vatican says, "the Holy Father has gradually resumed his activities, adjusting his daily schedule in consultation with his doctors to prioritize his recovery while continuing to fulfill the responsibilities of his ministry." That's included his weekly general audience in St Peter's Square and meetings with visiting church leaders, CBS reports.

There was one wobble. Last week his doctors advised him to skip a helicopter flight to Assisi for Tuesday's peace gathering, and he did. We covered that decision when it was announced. CBS says the doctors' concern was the unpressurised cabin on the helicopter, and that they called it a precaution.

The Pope is grateful, and he's said so. "The Holy Father remains deeply grateful for the prayers and affection he has received from throughout the world and for the dedicated care of the medical professionals who have accompanied him during his recovery," the statement says.

A demanding journey

This isn't a gentle trip. OSV News reports it'll be the longest of his pontificate so far and his first papal visit to Latin America. Based on the schedule the Vatican released on 21 September, OSV says he'll fly more than 19,000 miles, or over 30,000 kilometres, on 14 flights. Over 12 days he'll celebrate nine public Masses, visit seven cathedrals and lead two stadium prayer vigils. CBS says he'll visit 10 cities.

It starts on 6 November with a flight of more than 14 hours from Rome to Montevideo. He'll be in a new place nearly every day after that, including a long hop from Buenos Aires to Lima, before he flies home from Lima on 17 November.

Cusco stays on the list

The question everyone asked was Cusco. The old Inca capital sits more than 11,000 feet, or more than 3,350 metres, above sea level, and thinner air is not what a lung surgery patient would usually choose.

The Vatican's answer is that the program stands. Msgr. Guillermo Inca Pereda, who's coordinating the Peru leg, told Peruvian channel TVPE Noticias that Cusco, set for 15 November, hadn't been dropped. OSV News reported his comments in English translation.

"Nothing is ruled out. Everything remains as the Holy Father envisioned it," he said. "He always wanted to go to Cusco because it holds an important significance: the encounter with the popular faith and religiosity of the region. He wants to be there. That's why I believe Cusco will always be on his list."

Organisers in Peru are taking no chances. For his time in the country, from 11 to 16 November, "he will have a specialized ambulance, as befits a head of state, which will accompany the delegation at all times," Msgr. Guillermo said.

On 14 November the Pope is due to take a military helicopter to Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, another town high in the Andes. "In the case of Santa Cruz, the possibility of having an ambulance helicopter is being considered in case of any eventuality," he said. "In addition to his own doctor, there will be a Peruvian doctor prepared to attend to any situation."

He also said preparations never stopped while the Pope was in hospital, and that the Vatican's third advance team arrived in Peru on 26 October.

Going home to Chiclayo

For Leo, Peru isn't just another stop. The first pope born in the United States spent more than two decades there as a missionary and bishop. He was Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023, and the trip culminates in a return to the city where he served.

That's what gives the journey its weight. It's a shepherd going back to the flock he knew before Rome.

The Vatican put the purpose in plain terms. The trip, it says, will "strengthen the bonds of communion with the local Churches, encourage the faithful in their mission, and bring a message of faith, hope, and peace to the peoples of Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru."

The Pope's own prayer for it is simpler. "May this journey be an occasion for us to open our hearts to one another, strengthen our communion as brothers and sisters, and renew our commitment to proclaiming the Gospel with joy."

How to follow it from Australia

Montevideo is 13 and a half hours behind Adelaide, so most of the trip's big moments will land overnight or early in the morning here. Lima is 15 and a half hours behind. For Catholics watching from Australia, it's a chance to pray him safely there and safely home.

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