Cardinal Tagle leads Mass at St. Peter's as Pope Leo recovers from lung surgery

Philippines' Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, former Archbishop of Manila and new Dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over a Mass in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday morning  (October 14, 2026) in place of Pope Leo, as the 71-year-old pontiff spent a peaceful night recovering at Rome's Gemelli hospital following lung cancer surgery.   

The 10:00 a.m. Mass at the Vatican (4:00 p.m. in the Philippines) was attended by Church leaders, including heads of Eastern Churches and presidents of bishops' conferences, and featured special prayers for the Holy Father's swift recovery and health. 

Cardinal Tagle’s leadership at the altar comes shortly after Pope Leo approved his election as dean of the Church's College of Cardinals, making him the first Asian cleric selected for the elite position.   

The Vatican said on Wednesday that further information about the pope's condition would be released later in the day.The pope was diagnosed on Tuesday with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, after doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung during an operation.

The pontiff had been admitted to Gemelli hospital after doctors discovered a growth during a recent routine health check.The operation lasted about 90 minutes and was completed without complications, the pope's lead surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, and his personal physician, Luigi Carbone, said late on Tuesday.

The doctors said in a joint statement that the entire lower lobe of the right lung was removed in an effort to eliminate all cancerous tissue. 

Human lungs have five lobes -- three in the right lung and two in the left.

The Vatican has not disclosed the size of the tumour or whether the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes, key factors in determining prognosis.

The Vatican said earlier this week that the pope was expected to remain in hospital for about a week and that all his public engagements had been cancelled until October 20.

Elected by the world's cardinals in May 2025, Pope Leo is relatively young for a Church leader. He enjoys sports, including tennis, and is not known to be a smoker or to have had recent health issues.

MESSAGES OF SYMPATHY

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he and his wife Jeanette were praying for the pope, an American who was born in Chicago.

"May the Lord give him strength and the Holy Spirit guide the medical professionals taking care of the Holy Father," he said on X.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whose role is largely ceremonial, wished Leo a speedy and full 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 of value to many people worldwide, including in Germany, beyond denominational boundaries," Steinmeier was quoted as saying.

SOUTH AMERICAN TRIP SCHEDULED

Leo normally follows a very busy schedule. He is due to make an 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17, but it was not clear if this trip would still go ahead.

The pope is the head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics and does not have a deputy who steps in when he is sick. 

When a pope is incapacitated, the business of the Vatican's vast bureaucracy carries on as usual, holding off on any decisions that require papal approval.

DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS

The Dean of the College of Cardinals is the president and head of the College of Cardinals, the supreme advisory body to the Pope. It is composed of all Catholic cardinals worldwide. 

Often described as primus inter pares (first among equals), the Dean of the College of Cardinals is traditionally considered the highest-ranking cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church.

The Dean's role carries significant leadership responsibilities both during a pope's reign and during a papal transition (Sede Vacante).

(1) Presiding over the Conclave: When a pope dies or resigns, the Dean summmons all cardinal electors to Rome, manages the daily general congregations of cardinals, and presides over the papal conclave inside the Sistine Chapel (provided the Dean is under age 80).

(2) Asking the Critical Question: Once a new pope is chosen in the conclave, the Dean officially asks the elect: "Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?" and then asks what name the new pope chooses.

(3) Ordaining the New Pope (if necessary): If the person elected pope is not yet a bishop, the Dean has the canonical right and duty to ordain him as a bishop before he takes office.

(4) Representing the Sacred College: The Dean serves as the chief spokesperson and administrative leader for the cardinals in their collective communications with the Vatican Holy See and foreign heads of state.

Paraluman News with a report from Reuters (Joshua McElwee at the Vatican, Thomas Seythal in Berlin; Writing by Crispian Balmer and Keith Weirediting by Giulia Segreti, Alexandra Hudson)