Pope Leo to Undergo Lung Surgery After Early Nodule Detected

Sun Oct 11 2026 20:12:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The 71‑year‑old Pope announces a forthcoming operation to remove a small, well‑contained lung nodule, with recovery expected after a week.

Pope Leo XIV announced that doctors have discovered an early‑stage lung nodule during a routine check‑up and scheduled surgery for the coming week. He confirmed the mass is well‑contained and will be removed at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where a Papal Suite awaits. The Pope, who is the first U.S. citizen to hold the papacy, assured followers that the operation is routine and that he expects a brief recovery period. Global leaders, including Italy's prime minister and president, offered prayers and support for his speedy return. Despite the health scare, Pope Leo plans to keep his official world tour in Latin America on track, maintaining his diplomatic commitments. This marks the second major respiratory issue the papacy has faced in the past year, following Pope Francis's own lung treatment.

The 71‑year‑old Pope Leo XIV announced during his Sunday Angelus in St Peter’s Square that he will undergo surgery to remove a small, well‑contained lung nodule discovered in a routine check‑up. He said doctors are confident that early intervention is the right course of action and that the operation will take place at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, which has a Papal Suite that has been used since the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II.

The Pope, the first American to sit on St Peter’s Throne, assured pilgrims and the wider world that the nodule is “well‑contained” and caught “at an early stage”. In a statement released by the Vatican Press Office, Holy See spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that the operation is scheduled for the first days of next week and that the Pope expects about a week to recover.

This comes roughly eighteen months after Pope Francis encountered his own lung complications, which required hospital treatment. Despite his upcoming visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November, Pope Leo affirmed that the tour will still proceed as planned, asking the faithful for their prayers and diplomatic confidence in his health.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella expressed personal solidarity, while Israel’s President Isaac Herzog also wished him a full and speedy recovery. The Pope’s decision comes at a time when the Vatican is balancing a high‑profile diplomatic itinerary against the practical realities of aging and health.

For those unfamiliar, a lung nodule is a small lump of tissue often visualised via X‑ray or CT scan. Most nodules are asymptomatic, but early treatment can prevent progression to more serious conditions.