Pope addresses crowd in Vatican after cancer surgery

Pope Leo XIV waves from the window of the apostolic palace overlooking St. Peter's square. [Andreas Solaro, AFP]

Pope Leo XIV addressed thousands of people in St Peter's Square on Sunday, smiling and saying he would resume work "gradually" in his first major public appearance since undergoing lung cancer surgery.

The 71-year-old pope had part of his right lung removed in the surgery on Tuesday at Rome's Gemelli hospital and he was discharged on Saturday.

"I would like to thank all the people who have been praying for me in these days," the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics told the crowd.

"Having overcome this delicate phase, as you know I will now gradually resume my activities," said the pope, who looked well and spoke normally.

A chorus of "Viva il papa!" (Hooray for the pope!) had reverberated across the square as he appeared at the window of his Apostolic Palace for his traditional Angelus prayer and address.

People in the square welcomed the pope's speedy return.

Christopher Butler, 68, a parish priest from Leeds in northern England called Leo a "great shepherd for the Catholic Church".

"I'm concerned he needs to take time to make a full recovery but he's obviously a very resilient man and keen to return to work, to lead the Church and to be a world leader," Butler said.

Soledad Espinosa, 59, from Ecuador, said she was happy to hear that the pope would be allowed by his doctors to visit Latin America next month.

"We are all hoping for his recovery and that he has gotten through the situation well. We know that he is ok and we're pleased," she said.

Norma Grasso, 76, from Argentina, said: "We are waiting for him".

Following the surgery, there had been doubts about a planned papal voyage scheduled for November 6-17, to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, where Leo spent two decades as a missionary.

But his surgeon, Stefano Margaritora, told Vatican News he believed there were "no clinical reasons why the trip should not go ahead".