Pope Leo XIV announces surgery to remove lung nodule
The pope said doctors found a small, localized growth. Vatican officials estimate about one week of recovery.
Pope Leo XIV announced on October 11 that he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a small nodule from his lung, according to Vatican News.
The 71-year-old pope told pilgrims in Saint Peter’s Square during his Sunday address, Reuters reported. He said recent medical examinations had identified the growth and that he had decided to follow his doctors’ recommendation to have it removed.
In a translation of his remarks published by Vatican News, Leo described the nodule as detected at a “very early stage” and “well-localized”. Reuters reported that the Vatican had not said whether the growth was believed to be malignant.
Vatican News said the operation would take place at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli hospital. Holy See Press Office director Matteo Bruni said it was scheduled for the first days of the week, with an estimated postoperative recovery period of about one week.
The recovery period is an estimate. The announcement described the operation as planned for the coming days, without specifying an exact date.
Leo thanked the faithful for their support and asked for their prayers, Vatican News reported.
This story was drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below and reviewed by a human editor before publication.