Abinader to meet Vatican Secretary of State after Pope Leo XIV audience canceled

Rome.- President Luis Abinader is scheduled to meet Thursday with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, as part of his official visit to the Vatican after his planned audience with Pope Leo XIV was canceled due to the pontiff’s recent surgery.

The meeting with Pope Leo XIV had been scheduled for October 15 during Abinader’s state visit to the Vatican. However, the pontiff’s hospitalization following surgery on October 13 led to the suspension of his official engagements.

According to the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery at the Agostino Gemelli University Polyclinic in Rome to remove the lower lobe of his right lung after doctors detected a lesion that was diagnosed as pulmonary adenocarcinoma. The procedure was completed without complications.

A medical report issued Wednesday said the Pope’s recovery was progressing normally, with blood tests and chest X-rays showing expected results. He had also begun walking around his room, receiving respiratory physiotherapy and following his regular diet. The Vatican said his hospitalization is expected to last about one week as he continues his postoperative recovery.

Despite the cancellation of the papal audience, Abinader will maintain his meeting with Parolin, one of the Holy See’s highest-ranking officials and a key figure in its diplomatic relations. The private meeting was previously scheduled and will include only Vatican and Dominican government photographers for the official record.

The visit seeks to strengthen relations between the Dominican Republic, the Holy See and Italy while promoting dialogue on issues of common interest. The meeting with Parolin also allows Abinader’s diplomatic agenda at the Vatican to continue despite the changes prompted by the Pope’s medical condition.