The Pontiff’s first night in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital was “calm,” the Vatican shared in an update Wednesday morning, and doctors have since said that Leo’s tests show his “recovery is progressing normally.” He has undergone respiratory physiotherapy, has begun walking around his room, and has “resumed eating normally.” Leo will be observed while further tests are performed on his removed cancer tissue, as doctors determine what treatments might be needed next.
Following the news of Leo’s diagnosis, people across the world have sent their well wishes. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a Catholic, offered his prayers to the first American Pope. President Donald Trump, who has previously criticized Pope Leo, has yet to publicly comment. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen wished Leo a “full and speedy recovery,” while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the Pope as “a source of hope and inspiration for billions around the world.”
While Leo focuses on his recovery, all papal audiences have been canceled until Oct. 20. His time away from the Vatican has prompted questions about who, if anyone, oversees the church while a Pope is hospitalized.
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and, under Catholic canon law, is described as “the head of the college of bishops, the Vicar of Christ, and the pastor of the universal church on earth,” granting him “supreme, full, immediate, and universal ordinary power in the church.”
Beyond his role within the church, the Pope is also a key international figure, frequently speaking out on high-profile topics such as artificial intelligence and immigration, and making apostolic journeys abroad.
The Pope is scheduled to take a 12-day trip to Latin America on Nov. 6, which is set to include a stop in Peru, where Leo holds citizenship. The trip is set to go ahead as planned.
What happens if a Pope becomes sick, incapacitated, or is hospitalized?
The Vatican has detailed laws and rituals to transfer papal power if a Pope dies or resigns. But none of them apply when he is sick or even unconscious.
“There is no alternative rule. The Pope is in charge, and there's no mechanism to say the Pope can't be in charge. There's no rules on that,” says Pattenden. "When the Pope is incapacitated, that's a serious problem for the governance of the church.”
“The church doesn't have a process or a procedure like, for instance, the U.S. Constitution, there's no equivalent to the 25th Amendment, and there's no ‘Vice Pope’ like the Vice President,” Pattenden says, remarking on the lack of a deputy as something that can be perceived as a “weakness in the church's constitution.”
Pope Leo, who is fully conscious and already walking around, remains contactable and will likely be able to liaise with church officials, should any pertinent issues arise during his hospital stay. On Wednesday, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle presided over a mass in place of Leo, and read out a homily prepared by the Pope.
For instance, canon law provides for circumstances in which a diocesan bishop becomes unable to govern his diocese, allowing its day-to-day administration to pass to an auxiliary bishop, vicar general, or another designated official.
What does the Roman Curia do?
The Roman Curia is the central administrative institution of the Holy See, supporting the Pope in governing the Catholic Church and carrying out its wider responsibilities.
Among the most senior officials is the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, whom Pattenden describes as “the second most important person in the Vatican.”
Other senior church figures include the Dean of the College of Cardinals, who presides over the college and has responsibilities during a papal transition.
As for now, the Vatican has not indicated that Leo is in any way incapable of performing or delegating his duties.
“It's very clear that Pope Leo wants to be as transparent as possible,” says Pattenden, who notes that “being reminded of the Pope's mortality in this way will cause people to think about the kind of broader questions about what might happen to a Pope who's in ill health.”
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