Pope Leo XIV has announced that he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a small nodule discovered in his lung during recent medical examinations, prompting a global outpouring of concern and prayers for the leader of the Catholic Church.
The 71-year-old pontiff disclosed the development on Sunday, October 11, during his weekly Angelus address to thousands of faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
The Pope said doctors had detected a localised nodule at a very early stage and recommended surgery to remove it.
“Following their advice, I have therefore decided to undergo an operation to remove it,” the Pope said, according to a working translation of his remarks published by Vatican News.
He thanked the faithful for their spiritual support and asked them to continue praying for him ahead of the procedure.
“I thank you for your spiritual closeness and entrust myself to your prayers,” he said.
The Vatican subsequently confirmed that the operation was scheduled for the first days of the coming week. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the expected postoperative hospital stay would be approximately one week.
The pontiff is expected to receive treatment at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, a medical facility historically associated with the treatment of popes.
What is known about the Pope’s condition?
The Vatican has not disclosed whether the lung nodule is benign or malignant, and no cancer diagnosis has been announced.
A lung nodule is a small area of abnormal tissue in the lung that can have several causes. Its discovery does not, on its own, establish that a person has cancer.
The Pope’s announcement focused on the early detection of the nodule and the medical recommendation to remove it. Further details about the diagnosis and the outcome of the procedure had not been made public at the time of the announcement.
Will the surgery affect the Pope’s upcoming visit to Latin America?
The planned operation comes weeks before Pope Leo XIV’s scheduled apostolic visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17.
The trip is expected to be a significant pastoral engagement for the pontiff, who was elected in May 2025 following the death of Pope Francis.
As of Sunday, it remained unclear whether the surgery and recovery period would affect the planned itinerary.
Leo XIV, the first pope born in the United States, has continued his public engagements since assuming leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. His announcement has now placed his health in the spotlight as Catholics worldwide await further updates from the Vatican.
For the Church, the coming days will be marked by prayers for the Pope as he prepares for surgery, with further information about his condition and recovery expected from the Holy See.
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