Pope Leo XIV told crowds gathered for his Sunday noon blessing that he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a nodular lesion discovered on his lung during a recent medical check.
The 71-year-old pontiff said doctors caught the growth early. “Doctors found a small, localized nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is circumscribed,” he said in Italian. “The doctors believe it’s best to take action, so, following their advice, I’ve decided to have surgery to remove it.”
“The surgery is already scheduled for the coming days. Thank you for your spiritual support, and I entrust myself to your prayers,” he added, thanking the crowd for their closeness.
The Vatican later confirmed the operation would take place in the first days of this week, with an expected recovery period of about a week. Leo is expected to be treated at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, the longtime medical home for popes, which keeps a dedicated apartment for pontiffs.
Leo has not previously disclosed any health problems and keeps an active routine, including weekly tennis matches and swimming at the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo.
The diagnosis arrives weeks before Leo is due to depart on a major trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, scheduled for Nov. 6-17. It is not yet clear whether the surgery and recovery will affect that itinerary, though the pope indicated earlier in his Sunday remarks that he still intends to travel.
The announcement inevitably draws comparisons to the final illness of Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, who died on April 21, 2025, after a stroke that followed a lengthy hospitalization triggered by a respiratory crisis and double pneumonia. Francis had chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed earlier in his life.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who was among the few outsiders permitted to visit Francis during his final hospital stay, offered her support and that of the Italian government to Leo “as he faces this challenge in the coming days.” She said the pope’s “serenity and calm” in discussing his diagnosis were reassuring.
