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If the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil.Ps 127:1

Catholic Life Surgery of Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV meets Varvara, a 13-year-old Ukrainian cancer survivor

First source report

Catholic IntelligenceUpdated 1 min read

Pope Leo XIV met with Varvara, a 13-year-old girl from Berdjansk, Ukraine, as he left the Policlinico Gemelli hospital on October 17. Varvara, who is considered cured of cancer, met the pope to thank him for the encouragement he gave her before her surgery.

The two had previously met on December 31, 2025, at St. Peter's Square when Varvara was 12 and requested prayers for her cancer treatment. During this second meeting, Varvara gave the pope a stuffed toy similar to one she carried while fleeing the war in Ukraine, as well as a photograph of their first embrace at the basilica.

The pope returned to the Vatican following a five-day hospital stay for surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung due to an adenocarcinoma. Doctors expect to receive the results of the histological examination of the removed tumor mass early next week.

AI-assisted briefing based on the sources below.

2 sources25 reports16 languages

Read it in Deutsch · Italiano · English · Polski · HY · BE · Čeština · Українська · Shqip · हिन्दी · Português · ಕನ್ನಡ · Svenska · Slovenčina · Lietuvių · Magyar

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  8. Oct 31, 10:16 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV calls for renewed push to rebuild Central Italy
  9. Oct 31, 9:51 AM PT · 54 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru
  10. Oct 31, 9:48 AM PT · 10 sources Pope Leo XIV chooses theme for 101st World Mission Day
  11. Oct 31, 9:45 AM PT · 13 sources Pope Leo XIV receives participants in Pontifical Academy for Life meeting
  12. Oct 31, 9:41 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV sets prayer intention for November 2026
  13. Oct 31, 9:07 AM PT · 4 sources Pope Leo XIV meets with Italian municipalities' representatives
  14. Oct 31, 8:38 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV selects theme for 101st World Mission Day
  15. Oct 31, 8:29 AM PT · 6 sources Pope Leo XIV Appoints New Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication
  16. Oct 31, 8:26 AM PT · 5 sources Pope Leo XIV meets Vatican AI conference participants
  17. Oct 31, 8:23 AM PT · 4 sources Pope Leo XIV: AI decisions on human life must never be delegated
  18. Oct 31, 8:15 AM PT · 5 sources Pope Leo XIV's charity reaches 2,000 children in Ukraine
  19. Oct 31, 8:00 AM PT · 14 sources Pope Leo XIV approves safeguards for Holy See employees
  20. Oct 31, 8:00 AM PT · 13 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints 2 Synod undersecretaries
  21. Oct 31, 7:31 AM PT · 14 sources Pope Leo XIV casts ballot in US midterm elections
  22. Oct 31, 7:31 AM PT · 2 sources Bishop Arturo Eduardo Fajardo expects Pope Leo XIV to revive faith in Uruguay
  23. Oct 31, 7:30 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Peru
  24. Oct 31, 6:56 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV presented with book on Eucharistic miracle
  25. Oct 31, 6:17 AM PT · 39 sources Pope Leo XIV sends video message to Assisi peace meeting

More coverage of Pope Leo XIV

More Catholic news

Earlier version, Tuesday 20 October

Pope Leo XIV meets 13-year-old Ukrainian cancer survivor

Earlier version, Monday 19 October

Pope Leo XIV meets 13-year-old Ukrainian cancer survivor Varvara

Earlier version, Monday 19 October

Pope Leo XIV greets Ukrainian cancer survivor

Earlier version, Sunday 18 October

Pope Leo XIV greets Varvara, a 13-year-old Ukrainian cancer survivor

Earlier version, Sunday 18 October

Pope Leo XIV greets 13-year-old Ukrainian cancer survivor

Earlier version, Sunday 18 October

Pope Leo XIV meets Varvara, a 13-year-old Ukrainian girl cured of cancer

How the coverage unfolded

  1. Oct 17, 6:58 AM Vatican News Deutsch Papst Leo XIV. begegnet geheiltem Mädchen aus der Ukraine
  2. Oct 17, 6:50 AM Vatican News Italiano Il saluto del Papa a Varvara, tredicenne ucraina guarita da un tumore
  3. Oct 17, 7:12 AM Vatican News Pope Leo greets young Ukrainian cancer survivor as he departs hospital
  4. Oct 17, 7:27 AM Vatican News Polski Papież pozdrowił Ukrainkę Varvarę, która pokonała nowotwór
  5. Oct 17, 7:16 AM Vatican News HY Լեւոն ԺԴ. Պապը հանդիպեցաւ քաղցկեղէն ապաքինած 13-ամեայ ուքրանուհի Վարվարային
  6. Oct 17, 7:30 AM L'Osservatore Romano Italiano In fuga dalla guerra guarita dal tumore Varvara saluta il Papa
  7. Oct 17, 7:45 AM Agenzia SIR Italiano Leone XIV: tornato in Vaticano, domani l’Angelus dal palazzo apostolico
  8. Oct 17, 10:30 AM Deon Polski Papież pozdrowił trzynastoletnią Ukrainkę Varvarę, która pokonała nowotwór
  9. Oct 17, 8:12 AM Vatican News BE Святы Айцец сустрэўся з украінскай дзяўчынкай, якая перамагла рак
  10. Oct 17, 9:05 AM Vatican News Čeština Lev XIV. se při odchodu z nemocnice Gemelli setkal s třináctiletou Ukrajinkou uzdravenou z rakoviny
  11. Oct 17, 8:59 AM Vatican News Українська Зустріч Папи з Варварою з України: обійми вдячності
  12. Oct 17, 10:47 AM Vatican News Shqip Varvara, vajza ukrainase që mposhti kancerin, i kthen Papës përqafimin e shpresës
  13. Oct 17, 6:12 AM Diocese of Hallam Pope Leo greets young Ukrainian cancer survivor as he departs hospital
  14. Oct 17, 8:22 AM Rome Reports Ukrainian Teen Cancer Survivor Hugs Pope Leo XIV as He Leaves Hospital - VIDEO
  15. Oct 17, 8:13 AM Vatican News हिन्दी संत पापा ने अस्पताल से विदा लेते हुए यूक्रेनी कैंसर पीड़िता से मुलाकात की
  16. Oct 17, 9:45 AM Vatican News Português Saudação do Papa a Varvara, uma jovem ucraniana de treze anos curada de câncer
  17. Oct 17, 12:32 AM Vatican News ಕನ್ನಡ ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆಯಿಂದ ನಿರ್ಗಮಿಸುವ ವೇಳೆ ಕ್ಯಾನ್ಸರ್‌ನಿಂದ ಚೇತರಿಸಿಕೊಂಡ ಯುವ ಉಕ್ರೇನ್ ಬಾಲಕನನ್ನು ಭೇಟಿಯಾಗಿ ಮಾತನಾಡಿದ ಜಗದ್ಗುರು ಲಿಯೋರವರು.
  18. Oct 18, 10:54 PM Vatican News Svenska Påven hälsar på en ung ukrainsk canceröverlevare
  19. Oct 19, 5:00 AM TK KBS Slovenčina Lev XIV. sa stretol s trinásťročnou Ukrajinkou, ktorá sa vyliečila z rakoviny
  20. Oct 19, 1:04 AM Církev.cz Čeština Papeže po operaci přišla povzbudit třináctiletá Ukrajinka, která překonala rakovinu
  21. Oct 19, 3:05 AM Vatican News Lietuvių Antrasis Leono XIV ir Varvaros susitikimas
  22. Oct 19, 1:10 AM Catholic World News Pope greets young Ukrainian cancer survivor as he leaves hospital (Vatican News)
  23. Oct 19, 11:05 AM Magyar Kurír Magyar Leó pápa üdvözölte Varvarát, a daganatos betegségből felépült 13 éves ukrán lányt
  24. Oct 19, 3:00 PM ChurchPOP The last person to say bye to Pope Leo at the hospital was a cancer patient he met last year - and that encounter may have saved her life!
  25. Oct 20, 7:15 AM Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia Українська Мрія, що здійснилася: Варвара з України вдруге зустрілася з Папою

More on Pope Leo XIV

  1. Oct 31, 11:45 AM PT · 31 sources Pope Leo XIV votes by mail in US midterm elections
  2. Oct 31, 11:30 AM PT · 10 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints Bishop Francesco Cavina as Special Apostolic Visitator for Medjugorje
  3. Oct 31, 11:24 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV backs Oleshky evacuation
  4. Oct 31, 11:15 AM PT Pope Leo XIV to visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru
  5. Oct 31, 10:35 AM PT · 13 sources Pope Leo XIV receives 7,000 pilgrims from Villanova University and University of Notre Dame
  6. Oct 31, 10:32 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Peru
  7. Oct 31, 10:17 AM PT · 8 sources Pope Leo XIV receives delegations from earthquake-affected municipalities in Central Italy
  8. Oct 31, 10:16 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV calls for renewed push to rebuild Central Italy
  9. Oct 31, 9:51 AM PT · 54 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru
  10. Oct 31, 9:48 AM PT · 10 sources Pope Leo XIV chooses theme for 101st World Mission Day
  11. Oct 31, 9:45 AM PT · 13 sources Pope Leo XIV receives participants in Pontifical Academy for Life meeting
  12. Oct 31, 9:41 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV sets prayer intention for November 2026
  13. Oct 31, 9:07 AM PT · 4 sources Pope Leo XIV meets with Italian municipalities' representatives
  14. Oct 31, 8:38 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV selects theme for 101st World Mission Day
  15. Oct 31, 8:29 AM PT · 6 sources Pope Leo XIV Appoints New Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication
  16. Oct 31, 8:26 AM PT · 5 sources Pope Leo XIV meets Vatican AI conference participants
  17. Oct 31, 8:23 AM PT · 4 sources Pope Leo XIV: AI decisions on human life must never be delegated
  18. Oct 31, 8:15 AM PT · 5 sources Pope Leo XIV's charity reaches 2,000 children in Ukraine
  19. Oct 31, 8:00 AM PT · 14 sources Pope Leo XIV approves safeguards for Holy See employees
  20. Oct 31, 8:00 AM PT · 13 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints 2 Synod undersecretaries
  21. Oct 31, 7:31 AM PT · 14 sources Pope Leo XIV casts ballot in US midterm elections
  22. Oct 31, 7:31 AM PT · 2 sources Bishop Arturo Eduardo Fajardo expects Pope Leo XIV to revive faith in Uruguay
  23. Oct 31, 7:30 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Peru
  24. Oct 31, 6:56 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV presented with book on Eucharistic miracle
  25. Oct 31, 6:17 AM PT · 39 sources Pope Leo XIV sends video message to Assisi peace meeting

More coverage of Pope Leo XIV

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