Pope Leo XIV, aged 71, announced that he has consented to surgical intervention to remove a lung nodule, as doctors deemed it timely. He added that the procedure is already scheduled for the coming days.
Leo XIV specified that this pulmonary nodule was discovered during recent medical examinations and was identified at a very early stage, being well localized.
According to a Vatican representative, the Pope is scheduled to undergo the operation in the first days of the week, starting on Monday, October 12. His hospital stay will last about a week. The surgery will be performed at the Gemelli hospital in Rome, which traditionally treats popes following John Paul II.
Leo XIV, elected pope by cardinals from around the world in May 2025, is considered a relatively young leader of the Church. He enjoys sports, including tennis, and previously had no registered health issues.
The late Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor, died at the age of 88 and showed increasing frailty in his final years.
