Pope Leo XIV has announced that he will undergo lung surgery to remove a small lump, known as a lung nodule, that doctors discovered during medical check-ups. The 71-year-old pope made the announcement on Sunday after the traditional Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
Pope Leo announced that the operation had already been planned. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that the pope would need around one week in hospital to recover, as noted by Fox News. Doctors discovered the lung nodule at a very early stage. The surgery is scheduled for the coming days, with the procedure expected early next week. The operation is expected to take place at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
Pope Leo said the nodule was well-defined, meaning doctors had identified a specific, localised area in his lung. He said doctors recommended surgery to remove it, and he decided to follow their advice, according to CNN. The hospital is widely known as the “Pope’s hospital” because of its association with papal medical treatment. However, Vatican sources cited by Fox News said the surgery was likely to take place there, and the exact details of the procedure have not been officially disclosed.
The American-born pontiff is relatively young compared with several recent popes and is known for maintaining an active lifestyle. His hospital stay comes amid a history of health problems among recent popes. Pope Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, spent an extended period in hospital and faced several health difficulties during the final months of his life.
The announcement of his planned surgery therefore came as a surprise.
However, the available information does not establish that Pope Leo is facing similar health problems, according to CNN. Earlier reporting noted: The pope said the abnormality had been detected at an early stage and was localised, adding that he had decided to proceed with surgery on medical advice.
Pope Leo is generally considered to be in good health and has no previously known major health problems. Earlier reporting noted: Pope Leo XIV is set to undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a small nodule from his lung, which doctors discovered during a recent medical examination. Earlier reporting noted: Pope Leo XIV to undergo lung surgery ahead of major South America trip in November The Vatican said on Sunday that the procedure was scheduled for the first few days of the week.
The pope is scheduled to visit Latin America from November 6 to 17. The Vatican has not confirmed whether his surgery and the expected one-week hospital stay will affect the travel schedule. Pope Leo has a demanding schedule filled with meetings and public events. He also takes a weekly day off on Tuesdays at Castel Gandolfo, the papal retreat. His planned surgery and recovery will temporarily require him to spend time away from his usual public duties. His planned international trip includes stops in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
