Pope Leo XIV has cancelled his scheduled visit to Assisi, Italy, on October 27 to allow more time for recovery following recent thoracic surgery, the Holy See Press Office has announced.
The Pope was expected to attend the “Unarmed and Disarming Peace” meeting, which marks the 40th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace convened in Assisi by Pope St. John Paul II.
Instead, the pontiff will send a message expressing his closeness to the event’s organisers and participants.
“To aid his recovery following the thoracic surgery he underwent on Tuesday of last week, Pope Leo XIV will be unable to attend the ‘Unarmed and Disarming Peace’ meeting in Assisi on October 27, as planned,” the Holy See Press Office said in a statement.
Despite his absence, the Pope reaffirmed his commitment to dialogue and peaceful coexistence amid growing global conflicts.
The Press Office said the Holy Father remains convinced “that the ‘Spirit of Assisi’ dialogue and the search for words and gestures of peace are valuable resources in an age of conflict.”
The decision follows medical advice after the Pope underwent a scheduled follow-up chest X-ray, which showed encouraging signs of recovery.
According to his doctors, Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora, the examination confirmed that his “postoperative recovery is progressing very well.”
“However, given the short time that has elapsed since the surgery, his doctors advised against the planned helicopter journey on October 27 as a precaution,” the doctors said in the statement released on Friday.
The cancellation is a precautionary measure intended to protect the Pope’s recovery, with medical assessments indicating that his postoperative progress remains positive.
The Assisi gathering will commemorate four decades since the historic interfaith prayer for peace initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1986, bringing renewed attention to dialogue, solidarity and efforts to end conflict.
