Pope Leo XIV announced on Sunday that he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a nodular lesion on his lung, marking the first health scare of his 71-year-old pontificate.
The pope made the announcement during his weekly Sunday noon blessing in St. Peter’s Square, telling pilgrims that doctors had discovered a small, localized growth during a recent medical examination.
“Recently, during some medical examinations, doctors found a localised nodule in my lung,” Leo said. “It was detected at a very early stage and is well contained.”
He added that the doctors recommended intervention.
“The doctors believe it is advisable to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it,” the pontiff said. “The operation is already scheduled for the next few days.”
The Vatican press office later confirmed that the surgery would take place in the first days of the week at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, with an expected recovery time of approximately one week.
The pope described the nodule as “circumscribed,” or well-localized, and emphasized that it was caught early. The Vatican did not say whether the nodule is believed to be malignant.
A lung nodule is a small abnormal area measuring less than three centimeters that sometimes appears on a CT scan of the chest or abdomen, according to the American Cancer Society. The American Thoracic Society notes that fewer than 5 percent of lung nodules overall prove cancerous, though risk rises with age, size, and factors such as smoking.
The 71-year-old pope, elected by the world’s cardinals in May 2025, is relatively young for a Church leader. He is not known to be a smoker or to have previously had health issues, and is considered physically active, with weekly tennis games and swimming at the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo.
Leo thanked the crowd for their closeness and entrusted himself to their prayers.
“The surgery is already scheduled for the coming days. Thank you for your spiritual support, and I entrust myself to your prayers,” he said.
Before mentioning his health issue, the pope referred to his upcoming 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru scheduled for November 6–17, thanking Catholics for their prayers “for the pastoral visit I will undertake.” It remains unclear whether the surgery and recovery will affect the itinerary.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her support for the pontiff.
“I would like to express to the Holy Father my personal support, and that of the Italian government, as he faces this challenge in the coming days,” Meloni said in a statement. “The serenity and composure with which he spoke about it during today’s Angelus are reassuring.”
Pope Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, died on April 21, 2025, at age 88, following a long hospitalization brought on by a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. Francis suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man.
Leo is expected to undergo surgery at Gemelli Hospital, where Francis and popes before him were treated and where there is a special apartment for pontiffs.
The Vatican has not provided further details about the pope’s health or the exact timing of the procedure.
