Filipino Cardinal Tagle to Lead Vatican Mass for Recovering Pope Leo

Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle will preside over a Mass at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican on Wednesday, Oct. 14, to mark the closing of the 10th anniversary of an apostolic exhortation publication. The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life announced that the service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Rome time and takes place as 71-year-old Pope Leo XIV recovers from surgery.

The Vatican stated in a medical bulletin that Pope Leo was diagnosed with lung cancer and faces a significant health setback following a surgical procedure to remove part of his right lung. Amid these health developments, cardinal bishops elected Tagle as dean of the College of Cardinals on Oct. 9. This position carries vital responsibilities regarding papal transitions and coordinating the college's work.

Pope Leo approved the election of Tagle to succeed Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who served in the role from January 2020. Tagle's new appointment places the Filipino cardinal in a major leadership position within the Catholic Church while the pope undergoes his ongoing medical recovery.