Pope Leo XIV will have to undergo surgery to remove a nodule to the lung, identified during some medical checks. It was announced on Sunday, October 11, at the end of the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square, explaining that doctors discovered the nodule at an early stage and advised him to remove it.
«The doctors found me a nodule circumscribed to the lung», said Leo XIV, adding that it was identified «in a very initial and well located phase». The pope then explained that he had decided to follow the advice of doctors and asked the faithful to pray for him.
The operation will be carried out in the first days of this week at the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli in Rome, the hospital where his predecessor, Pope Francis, was admitted several times. According to the director of the Vatican press room, Matteo Bruni, is expected to take about seven days. For the moment no further details have been given on the characteristics of the nodule.
A pulmonary nodule is a small formation of more dense tissue than the surrounding one, which can be identified through an X-ray or computerized tomography (TAC). It is a rather common condition and, in most cases, is not associated with a tumor. Nodules can be caused, for example, by scars left by previous infections or by inflammatory processes.
The presence of a nodule therefore does not allow itself to establish whether it is a benign or malignant formation. As the Mayo Clinic explains, the risk depends on several factors, including size, shape, possible growth in time and general conditions of the patient. Smaller and more stable nodules are often only monitored, while more detailed examinations or surgery may be required for others.
In the case of Leo XIV, the Vatican has not communicated if doctors suspect tumor formation. The decision to proceed with the removal is not enough to draw conclusions on the nature of the nodule.
The pontiff, who turned 71 last September 14, had not so far had significant health problems made public during the pontificate, started in May 2025. In recent months he continued to participate regularly in the celebrations and institutional meetings, as well as making several trips. Also on Monday, October 12, after the announcement of the operation, he maintained some of the commitments foreseen in the Vatican, receiving in audience several representatives of the Church.
The intervention also arrives less than a month from one of the most challenging appointments of its calendar. From 6 to 17 November Leo XIV should visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, on an apostolic journey that includes numerous air travels, meetings with local authorities, religious celebrations and visits to Catholic communities.
According to the program published by the Vatican, the pope will depart from Rome on November 6 and reach Montevideo, then move to Buenos Aires and then to Peru. The calendar also includes visits to Córdoba, Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa, in the Peruvian Amazon region.
The trip, for the moment, remains confirmed. Leo XIV has to recover in time for departure, but the possibility of respecting all commitments will also depend on the outcome of the intervention and the post-operative course.
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