Pope Leo called for an immediate end to the violence in Yemen on Sunday during his traditional Angelus address, speaking to the faithful from the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square less than two weeks after undergoing major surgery for lung cancer.
The 71-year-old pontiff expressed particular alarm regarding the humanitarian situation in Taiz, a southwestern Yemeni city where he noted the population is suffering severely due to shortages of food, water, and medical assistance. Reaching the window unaided, the pope smiled and waved to the assembled crowds at the Apostolic Palace. The location carried symbolic weight, marking the exact spot where he announced on October 11 that he would undergo an operation to remove a small growth on his lung, representing the first health scare of his papacy.
Speaking in a very firm and clear voice, the pontiff issued a direct appeal to the international community and parties involved in the conflict. He stated that he was making a heartfelt plea for hostilities to halt so that the people of Yemen and the wider region could finally live in peace.
Beyond the crisis in Yemen, Pope Leo offered prayers for the victims of a recent security incident in neighboring Jordan. He addressed the casualties resulting from a terrorist attack directed against Orthodox faithful at the Hamoud church on Friday. Expressing solidarity with the affected community and the nation as a whole, the pontiff praised Jordan for its long-standing tradition of peaceful and respectful coexistence among different religious groups.
The pope also directed attention toward an upcoming interfaith gathering dedicated to peace, scheduled to take place on Tuesday in the Italian city of Assisi. He urged believers and the public alike to support the meeting with their prayers. While the Vatican announced on Friday that the pontiff had cancelled his planned attendance at the Assisi summit on the advice of his medical team to ensure a complete recovery, his appeal underscored the ongoing importance of the diplomatic and spiritual initiative.
Medical updates released by the Vatican indicate a positive recovery trajectory following the pope’s operation on October 13, during which surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung after he was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, the most prevalent form of lung cancer. Physicians reported last week that the pontiff would require no further therapeutic interventions, as examinations confirmed the tumor had not spread.
