Pope Leo XIV has announced plans to undergo surgery in the coming days after doctors discovered a nodule on his lung during a medical examination.
The 71-year-old pontiff disclosed the development during his weekly Angelus prayer at St Peter’s Square in Rome, assuring worshippers that the growth had been detected at an early stage and was well contained.
“The doctors found an early, well-localised nodule on my lung,” he told the congregation.
Leo said his medical team had recommended an operation and that he had agreed to the procedure.
The pontiff added that the condition had been identified early, expressing confidence in the medical advice he received.
According to the Holy See Press Office spokesman, Matteo Bruni, “the operation is scheduled for the first days of next week”.
Bruni added that the Pope was expected to require approximately one week to recover from the procedure.
Vatican News, the official news platform of the Holy See, reported that the operation would take place at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
The hospital has a dedicated papal suite established following the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in May 1981. The facility has continued to serve as a special medical unit for pontiffs.
Concluding his Angelus prayer, Leo thanked those who had expressed concern about his health and asked for their continued support.
He expressed gratitude for their “spiritual closeness” and said he entrusted himself to their prayers.
The announcement comes about a year and a half after Leo succeeded the late Pope Francis, who also experienced lung-related health complications that required hospital treatment.
News of the planned surgery has drawn messages of support from political leaders in Italy and beyond.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her “personal solidarity” with the pontiff as he “faces the ordeal ahead in the coming days”.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella also sent his “sincerest wishes for a peaceful recovery and a speedy and full return to health”.
Similarly, Israeli President Isaac Herzog wished the Pope “a full and speedy recovery”.
Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Provost, became the 267th occupant of the papal throne and the first US citizen to lead the Roman Catholic Church.
Ordained as a priest in 1982, he spent several years as a missionary in Peru, where he became known for his work with marginalised communities.
Despite the planned operation, the Pope confirmed that his scheduled visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November would proceed as planned.
The Archbishop of Montevideo, Daniel Sturla, said preparations for the papal visit would continue with “greater enthusiasm”, while urging the faithful to pray for the pontiff’s recovery.
A lung nodule is a small area of abnormal tissue in the lung, often discovered during chest imaging, such as an X-ray or CT scan. According to the UK’s National Health Service, most lung nodules do not cause additional symptoms.
(BBC)
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