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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

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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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 22, 1:46 PM PT · 57 sources Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus
  2. Oct 22, 1:31 PM PT · 46 sources Pope Leo XIV's doctors confirm no further treatment is necessary
  3. Oct 22, 1:31 PM PT · 33 sources Pope Leo XIV needs no further treatment after lung cancer surgery
  4. Oct 22, 1:21 PM PT Chicago artist creates Marian icon for Pope Leo XIV, who will keep the image in his bedroom
  5. Oct 22, 1:17 PM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV is cancer-free
  6. Oct 22, 1:00 PM PT · 11 sources Pope Leo XIV urges Catholic schools to help young people
  7. Oct 22, 12:43 PM PT · 25 sources Pope Leo XIV meets American Jewish Committee
  8. Oct 22, 12:12 PM PT · 11 sources Pope Leo XIV invites young people to Seoul for WYD 2027
  9. Oct 22, 12:11 PM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV to visit Argentina
  10. Oct 22, 11:21 AM PT · 25 sources Pope Leo XIV invites youth to Seoul for World Youth Day 2027
  11. Oct 22, 10:39 AM PT · 3 sources Pope Leo XIV to hold private audience with Villanova, Notre Dame teams
  12. Oct 22, 10:13 AM PT · 5 sources Pope Leo XIV invites 2027 World Youth Day participants
  13. Oct 22, 9:05 AM PT Pope Leo XIV and the Pressure to Be Perfect: “Many Give Up Before Even Trying”
  14. Oct 22, 8:30 AM PT A Global Symphony of Prayer: 16 Readers Share Ways They Prayed for Pope Leo XIV
  15. Oct 22, 8:20 AM PT · 6 sources Pope Leo XIV invites young people to Seoul for WYD 2027
  16. Oct 22, 8:07 AM PT · 33 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints 24 new members to International Theological Commission
  17. Oct 22, 8:01 AM PT · 7 sources Pope Leo XIV appoints Leandro Machado Silvestre as bishop of Guajará-Mirim
  18. Oct 22, 8:01 AM PT · 21 sources Pope Leo XIV leads General Audience on October 21, 2026, emphasizing marriage and family
  19. Oct 22, 8:01 AM PT · 23 sources Pope Leo XIV receives participants in Holiness in History conference
  20. Oct 22, 7:28 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas presented to Dutch and Flemish bishops
  21. Oct 22, 6:18 AM PT · 61 sources Pope Leo XIV speaks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
  22. Oct 22, 5:20 AM PT · 9 sources Pope Leo XIV backs Synod on Synodality
  23. Oct 22, 4:30 AM PT · 3 sources COMECE bishops send message of prayer and support to Pope Leo XIV
  24. Oct 22, 4:01 AM PT · 2 sources Pope Leo XIV receives participants of Congress on Pastoral Care in Schools and Universities
  25. Oct 22, 3:55 AM PT · 25 sources Pope Leo XIV emphasizes protecting marriage at general audience

More coverage of Pope Leo XIV

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