VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV’s recovery from lung surgery could take “longer than expected,” Peru’s president warned Wednesday, as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church continued to recover at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. Keiko Fujimori, in an interview on Peruvian television, said the pace of the pope’s recovery could determine whether Leo makes his week-long apostolic visit to Peru, which was scheduled to begin Nov. 11. “I want the Pope to know that here in Peru, millions of us are praying for his speedy recovery,” Fujimori said. “We will also be attentive to any announcement from the Vatican, because we understand that his recovery will take several weeks longer than expected and, therefore, we also understand that there could be some changes to the schedule of his visit.” Leo, who is a Chicago native, spent more than two decades working in Peru and maintains close ties to that South American country. Fujimori’s announcement somewhat contradicts the Vatican’s claim on Wednesday that the pope was recovering as expected after surgery to remove part of his right lung, which confirmed a cancer diagnosis. The medical team treating the 71-year-old man said he had undergone routine blood tests and a chest X-ray and that the results so far “confirm a normal postoperative course: the values are within the expected range for the type of procedure performed.” He had breakfast and lunch on Wednesday, they said. So far, Leo’s doctors have given no indication that the pontiff may need any additional treatment. And the Vatican has not indicated whether the cancer could have spread. Meanwhile, the Vatican published its first post-operative message from the Pope, addressed to participants in a meeting to commemorate the 10th anniversary of “Amoris Laetitia,” a document on Catholic doctrine published in 2016 by Pope Francis. “As you know, I have not been able to be among you these days,” the message said. “I warmly thank you for your prayers and the work you have done together. Your exchange of experiences and your attentive listening are indeed a gift to the entire Church.” As the pontiff continues his recovery, his brother, Louis Prevost, is being treated for blood cancer, a source close to the Prevost family told NBC Chicago. No further details were immediately available about Prevost’s prognosis. Leo was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small cell lung cancer, after doctors examined the nodule removed from his right lung. Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for 80% of all cases of the disease, according to the American Lung Association. Leo spent a quiet night in the hospital after surgery to remove a malignant lung nodule was completed “successfully, as planned and on schedule,” the Vatican said Tuesday. Leo was in the operating room for almost three hours, he said. The initial lump was detected during a routine check, the Vatican said. The leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics took the rare step of revealing the health scare, the first of his papacy, during his Sunday noon prayer. Leo greeted the crowd outside Rome’s Gemelli Hospital as he was admitted on Tuesday. The procedure was led by Dr. Stefano Margaritora, Gemelli’s chief thoracic surgeon, and medical staff recited the rosary in the hospital chapel as the operation began. After his surgery, the pontiff “woke up normally and, after a brief period of observation, returned to his room on the 10th floor,” the Vatican said. The room is next to the usual papal apartment, complete with private chapel, which is currently undergoing renovation. This type of cancer affects both smokers and non-smokers, although Leo is not known to have ever been a smoker. A cancer diagnosis could complicate your busy schedule. Just weeks earlier, hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets of Paris for an open-air mass on a visit in which Leo warned of the risks of artificial intelligence. He was planning a historic two-week visit to South America next month, although it is unclear if that will go ahead. After the news came messages of support and sympathy.Dr. Fernando Daniels III, a 67-year-old Maryland doctor, was among many praying for Leo’s speedy recovery in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square. “I’ve seen miracles in medicine. I’ve seen terminally ill people who were told they wouldn’t live and they did,” he told NBC News. “Everyone’s prayers should heal him,” said Daniels, who was traveling as part of a group. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he and his wife, Jeanette Rubio, were praying for the pope. “May the Lord give him strength and the Holy Spirit guide the medical professionals caring for the Holy Father,” Rubio said on German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whose role is largely ceremonial, wished Leo a speedy and complete recovery, German Catholic news agency KNA reported. “The Pope’s voice on the current issues and challenges of our time is of particular importance and value for many people around the world, including Germany, beyond denominational borders,” Steinmeier said. Claudio Lavanga reported from Vatican City, Mithil Aggarwal reported from Hong Kong and Corky Siemaszko reported from New York City.
