Pope Leo XIV announced this Sunday, October 11, that he will undergo surgery to remove a nodule located 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' recommendation.
The announcement was made at the end of the Angelus prayer, before the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, and was confirmed by Vatican News, the official media of the Holy See.
León XIV pointed out that the nodule is "well located" and that specialists consider it advisable to intervene to remove it. The Pope expressed his gratitude for the spiritual support of the faithful and asked them to accompany him with their prayers. The message was also shared through his official account in Spanish on X.
The surgery will take place 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 information from the Vatican.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Press Office of the Holy See, explained that the expected hospital stay after the operation will be approximately one week. This is a medical estimate, 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 provided a diagnosis regarding the nature of the nodule. The detection of a lung lesion does not, by itself, equate to a cancer diagnosis. No exact date for the surgery has been disclosed either.
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 regarding the procedure and the Pope's progress will depend on upcoming official communications.
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