Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful during his weekly general audience in Vatican City. (EPA Images pic)VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo returned to St Peter's Square on Wednesday, waving to pilgrims and blessing babies from his open-air popemobile as he held his first general audience at the Vatican since undergoing lung cancer surgery eight days ago.

The 71-year-old pontiff, who pledged on Sunday he would slowly resume his duties as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, stood in the back of the vehicle as it drove through the square, waving, smiling and stopping to talk to pilgrims.

Leo had the lower lobe of his right lung removed in surgery on Oct 13 and has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer.