Pope's health should not be taken 'for granted', says top Vatican diplomat
Vatican officials have stated that the health of Pope Leo XIV should not be taken for granted following his surgery for lung adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis is considered a significant change for the Church, as the Pope faces recovery from a serious illness.
Why it matters
The health of a global religious leader has significant implications for the governance and future direction of the Catholic Church.
Image source, EPA Image caption, Pope Leo pictured arriving at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome for his surgery on Tuesday
Pope Leo XIV's health should not be taken "for granted", a British senior Vatican official told the BBC.
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican's foreign minister since 2014, said the news of the Pope's ill health was "a bit of a game changer", adding "it's going to make things a bit different".
The Pope was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma following surgery to remove a lower lobe of his right lung.
Speaking on Tuesday after the Pope's operation was announced, but before his cancer diagnosis, Archbishop Gallagher said: "I think we were maybe taking him a little bit for granted."
The 71-year-old had surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, which the Vatican said had been "successful" and proceeded without complications.
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