Cardinal Daniel Sturla, Archbishop of Montevideo, has confirmed that the Uruguayan Church continues preparations to welcome Pope Leo XIV from November 6 to 8, following favorable news about his recovery after the lung surgery he underwent on October 13.
According to the Archdiocese of Montevideo, the cardinal referred to the Pontiff’s situation during his program The Joy of the Gospel, broadcast on Sunday, October 18, by Radio Oriental. Sturla especially highlighted the statements of surgeon Stefano Margaritora, who assured that there are no clinical reasons preventing the Pope from making the apostolic journey to South America, scheduled from November 6 to 17.
“We continue preparing for the visit,” the archbishop stated, celebrating the doctor’s words regarding the possibility of keeping the itinerary.
The Uruguayan Church continues organizing the meetings with the Pope
Preparations for the visit are moving forward with the participation of work teams and volunteers in charge of the events planned in Montevideo, Paysandú, and Florida.
Sturla announced that tickets for the three major encounters with Leo XIV will be free, although they must be requested in advance through the official website papaleonuruguay.uy.
The reservation system will be available starting Friday, October 23, at 11:00 a.m., and will allow access management for the Mass in Paysandú, the prayer vigil at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, and the Eucharistic celebration in Florida.
The Archdiocese is also maintaining the raffle “A Great Joy,” aimed at contributing to the financing of the events and ensuring that the faithful can participate free of charge. The drawing will take place on December 8.
A campaign of 3.5 million Hail Marys for the Pontiff’s health
The cardinal also renewed his invitation to participate in the initiative “Uruguay prays for Leo XIV,” which proposes gathering 3.5 million Hail Marys for the Pope’s recovery—one for each inhabitant of the country.
Prayers can be registered through a counter enabled on the official visit website.
The campaign accompanies the preparations for a trip that will have Uruguay as the first stop on the Pontiff’s South American tour, before continuing to Argentina and Peru.
Leo XIV gradually resumes his activities after the operation
The Pope underwent surgery on October 13 at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, where doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung after confirming a pulmonary adenocarcinoma.
After being discharged from the hospital on Saturday, October 17, Leo XIV reappeared publicly during the Angelus on Sunday, thanked the faithful for their prayers, and announced that he would gradually resume his activities.
Surgeon Stefano Margaritora stated that, from a clinical standpoint, there are no impediments preventing the Pontiff from making his next international trip. However, the Holy See has not yet issued a definitive confirmation of the itinerary following the operation.
The visit to Uruguay had been planned before the diagnosis was known. In July, Sturla had already announced some of the events being prepared to welcome the Pontiff, including the religious celebrations in Florida and the meetings in Montevideo.
For now, the Uruguayan Church continues organizing the visit and awaits instructions from the Holy See regarding Leo XIV’s final schedule.