Pope Leo XIV disclosed on Sunday that a growth detected on his lung — identified at an early stage, as he described it — would require an operation within the next few days, with the pontiff noting that the nodule had come to light during routine medical examinations. Speaking to those gathered in St Peter's Square during his weekly address, the 71-year-old explained that the condition had been caught early and remained localised, and that on the advice of his doctors, who judged an operation to be the appropriate course, he had opted to undergo surgery for its removal.
The Vatican press office disclosed, in the wake of remarks the pope had made during his Angelus prayers, that a surgical procedure was being arranged for within the coming days, with medical staff anticipating a recovery period of roughly one week. The procedure had been scheduled to take place at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, a facility that has served as a medical centre for popes going back to the pontificate of John Paul II.
Details about whether the procedure and the time needed to recover from it would alter the pontiff's schedule of overseas visits have not been made available. A trip through South America — taking in Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru — is scheduled for him between 6 and 17 November.
In a written statement, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the pope's composure at the Angelus as a source of reassurance, and passed along both her personal support and that of the Italian government as he faced the period ahead. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky separately took to X to express his wish for Leo's recovery from the procedure, noting that the pontiff remained in his thoughts and prayers and that he hoped to see him restored to health before long.
Archbishop Daniel Sturla of Montevideo urged the faithful to intensify their preparations for the pope's planned visit to Uruguay and to offer prayers for his recovery. Argentina's bishops' conference separately called on Catholics to pray that the surgery would proceed without complication and be followed by a full recovery. Leo, who was born in Chicago and became the first pontiff from the United States following the death of his predecessor Francis on 21 April 2025 at the age of 88, continued to draw well-wishes from across the region.
On 8 May 2025, a conclave of cardinal electors chose Leo to lead the Roman Catholic Church, whose membership spans approximately 1.4 billion people worldwide. Since his installation as head of the Catholic Church, Robert Francis Prevost has been shaping the institution's approach to a range of contemporary questions, from warfare to the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
When armed hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran broke out in February, the pope emerged as a prominent voice calling for an end to the fighting. Leo described Trump's threat to destroy Iran as deeply unacceptable, calling on Americans to press their lawmakers toward peaceful ends, while Trump characterised the pontiff as ineffective on crime and harmful to foreign policy — a portrayal Leo rejected, citing an obligation to speak on matters of conscience.
