Pope Leo XIV is set to undergo surgery “in the coming days” after doctors discovered a nodule on his lung during a medical check-up.
The 71-year-old pontiff announced the news on Sunday during his weekly prayers in St. Peter’s Square in Rome.
“The doctors found an early, well-localized nodule on my lung,” he told the public in Italian.
Pope Leo XIV Says Lung Nodule Was ‘Well-Contained’
Pope Leo said his medical team “believe it would be right to intervene,” adding that he had agreed to undergo the operation.
The American-born pontiff reassured pilgrims that the lung nodule was “well-contained” and had been detected “at an early stage.”
He concluded his Angelus prayer by thanking everyone for their “spiritual closeness” and saying that he entrusted himself to their prayers.
Vatican News shared a translation of Pope Leo’s message, delivered in Italian on October 11, 2026:
“Dear friends, during some recent medical examinations, doctors found a localized nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is well localized. The doctors believe surgery is appropriate. Following their advice, I have therefore decided to undergo an operation to remove it. The operation is already scheduled for the coming days. I thank you for your spiritual closeness and entrust myself to your prayers.”
The Pope has no known history of major health issues and is generally considered physically active.
Pope Leo XIV to Undergo Surgery as Early as Next Week
According to the American Cancer Society, “a lung nodule is a small (≤ 3 cm) abnormal area that is sometimes found during a CT scan of the chest and/or abdomen.
Most lung nodules seen on CT scans are not cancer. They are more often the result of old infections, scar tissue, or other causes. But tests are often needed to be sure a nodule is not cancer.”
Meanwhile, Holy See Press Office spokesperson Matteo Bruni confirmed that “the operation is scheduled for the first days of next week”. Bruni added that the Pope’s “estimated post-operative recovery time will be about one week.”
Pope Leo’s surgery will take place at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital in Rome.
The hospital established a special papal suite following the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in May 1981. The suite remains in use today.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her support, and that of the Italian government, to the Pope in a message shared on X.
“I wish to express to the Holy Father my personal closeness and that of the Italian Government for the trial he is called to face in the coming days,” Meloni wrote. “The serenity and tranquility with which he spoke of it in today’s Angelus reassure us. I am certain that the Italian people too will not fail to offer their support and affection.”
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Pope Leo XIV to Undergo Surgery After Doctors Find ‘Small Nodule’ on His Lung