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Pope Leo XIV to Have Lung Surgery After Doctors Find Early-Stage Nodule
The 71-year-old pope announced the news himself from St. Peter’s Square, saying the nodule was caught early and that he had decided to have it removed. The Vatican expects about a week of recovery. Pope Leo XIV told the faithful on Sunday that he will undergo surgery this week to remove a small nodule from his lung, delivering the news himself during his weekly noon blessing in St. Peter’s Square. Speaking in Italian, the pope said doctors had found “a small, localized nodule in my lung” during routine medical checks. “It was detected at a very early stage and is circumscribed,” he said. “I’ve decided to have surgery to remove it. The surgery is already scheduled for the coming days.” He closed by asking for prayers: “I entrust myself to your prayers.” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the operation would take place in the first days of the week, with recovery expected to take about a week. The Vatican did not give an exact date, and it has not said whether the nodule is cancerous. “It was detected at a very early stage and is circumscribed. I’ve decided to have surgery to remove it.” — Pope Leo XIV A healthy pope, until now Leo, 71, has had no previously known health problems. The first pope born in the United States, the Chicago native formerly known as Robert Prevost is known as one of the more physically active pontiffs in memory. He plays tennis weekly and swims at the papal summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo. He is expected to be treated at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, which keeps a dedicated apartment for popes and has treated several of his predecessors. A lung nodule is a small abnormal spot in the lung, generally less than an inch across, according to the American Cancer Society. Nodules often turn up on CT scans done for other reasons, and many are not cancerous. Leo said his doctors advised acting quickly, and he followed their advice. Reassurance from Rome Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni offered her government’s support and said the pope’s “serenity and calm” in describing his condition were reassuring. The pope’s decision to make the announcement himself, in plain language and before the surgery, stood out in a church long known for keeping papal health private. The news inevitably recalls the final months of Pope Francis, who died on April 21, 2025, after a long hospitalization for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. Francis had chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man. Leo’s situation, by every account so far, is very different: an early finding, a planned operation and a short expected recovery. The trip to South America The bigger question is the calendar. Leo is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November. The Vatican didn’t say whether the surgery or recovery would affect the trip, but the pope said he plans to go and asked for prayers for the Peru leg in particular. Peru is close to his heart. Before his election in May 2025, Leo spent much of his life there as a missionary and later as bishop of Chiclayo, and he became a Peruvian citizen. A return visit as pope is one of the most anticipated moments of his papacy so far. For now, the Vatican is asking for patience and prayers. Updates on the pope’s condition are expected after the surgery.