Pope Leo XIV announced this Sunday, October 11, that he will undergo surgery to remove a nodule found in one of his lungs, detected during recent medical check-ups. The 71-year-old pontiff explained that the lesion was identified at a very early stage and that he decided to follow his doctors' recommendations.
The announcement was made at the end of the Angelus prayer, in front of the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, and was confirmed by Vatican News, the official outlet of the Holy See.
León XIV noted that the nodule is "well localized" and that specialists deem it advisable to intervene to remove it. The Pope expressed his gratitude for the spiritual closeness of the faithful and asked them to accompany him with their prayers. The message was also shared through his official Spanish account on X.
The operation will be at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome
The intervention is scheduled for the first days of the week starting Monday, October 12, and will take place at the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, according to a statement from the Vatican.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, explained that the expected hospital stay following the operation will be approximately one week. This is a medical forecast, not a confirmed discharge date.
It has not been reported whether the nodule is benign or malignant
Until the announcement this Sunday, the Vatican had not communicated a diagnosis regarding the nature of the nodule. The detection of a lung lesion does not, by itself, equate to a cancer diagnosis. There has also been no information about a specific date for the surgery.
For now, the Holy See has specified that the nodule was found early, that it is localized, and that the doctors have recommended its removal. Details about the procedure and the Pope's recovery will depend on upcoming official communications.
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