Catholic leaders urge prayers for Pope Leo after lung cancer diagnosis

After being diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, Pope Leo has had all his audiences cancelled through October 20, prompting a call for prayer from senior Catholic figures. Archbishop Richard Moth, who leads the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, urged believers and all people of goodwill to intercede for the Pope’s health, noting relief that his surgery went well. He linked the request to one outlet month of the Holy Rosary and asked the faithful to entrust the Pope’s recovery to the maternal care of Our Lady Health of the Sick.

The Church of England’s top bishop echoed the sentiment, pledging daily prayers for a swift and complete healing. During a recent audience, Dame Sarah offered the Pope a jar of honey harvested from Lambeth Palace Garden, a gesture the pontiff accepted with a joking reference to his former nursing career. Both leaders also remembered those suffering from illness, urging prayers for patients, families, and caregivers.