Pope Leo XIV prepares for surgery to remove a lung nodule

2 hours ago

A small nodule in the lung has been detected in Pope Leo XIV. The 71-year-old pontiff was hospitalized in Rome, where he is to undergo surgery to remove the formation. As the head of the Roman Catholic Church reported, the nodule was discovered at an early stage and is well localized.

Leo XIV announced the upcoming procedure during his Sunday noon blessing in St. Peter's Square. He thanked those gathered for their support and asked them to pray for him. According to the pontiff, doctors advised surgical intervention, and he decided to follow their recommendation.

The operation is scheduled to take place in the early days of the week at the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital in Rome. As Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, stated, recovery after the intervention will take about seven days. In light of this, all audiences have been canceled until Tuesday, October 20.

A lung nodule is a small area of altered tissue less than three centimeters in size that can be detected during a CT scan. According to the American Cancer Society, such formations are often found incidentally during examinations for other reasons. The presence of a nodule in itself does not mean that a person has cancer.

Despite the surgery, the pontiff intends to go on his planned trip to South America. From November 6 to 17, he is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Peru, and Argentina.

Previously, no serious health problems had been reported regarding Leo XIV. According to the Associated Press, the pope leads an active lifestyle: he plays tennis weekly and swims during his stay at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.