VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV will enter Rome’s Gemelli hospital late Tuesday morning ahead of surgery to remove a small nodule from one of his lungs, the Vatican said Monday.
The 71-year-old pope disclosed the diagnosis during his Sunday prayer in St. Peter’s Square, saying the growth had been found during recent medical examinations, detected early and was “well-contained.” The Vatican has not said whether the nodule is believed to be malignant.
A Vatican spokesperson said the nodule was discovered during a routine health check and that no particular illness prompted the tests. The exact time of the operation has not been announced.
Public schedule cleared through October 20
The Vatican canceled Leo’s public events from Tuesday through October 20 to allow for treatment and recovery. Officials expect him to remain in the hospital for about one week.
Leo maintained a full working schedule Monday, holding seven previously planned meetings, including audiences with visiting bishops and members of a Rome-based charity. He spoke publicly in a strong voice during one of those meetings.
The surgery will be the first significant health intervention of his papacy. Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, was elected in May 2025 and has not previously disclosed a major health problem.
What is—and is not—known
A lung nodule is a small localized lesion that may have several causes and is often benign. The Vatican has not released the nodule’s size, test results or a diagnosis, so any claim that it is cancerous would be premature.
Specialists who spoke with major news organizations said procedures to remove localized nodules are often minimally invasive, but the pope’s medical team has not publicly described the surgical method it plans to use.
The Vatican has not announced changes to Leo’s planned November trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. That schedule could be reassessed after the operation and recovery.
The pope’s decision to disclose the condition himself and the Vatican’s release of a hospital timetable mark an unusually direct approach to papal health communication. Further medical updates are expected after Leo is admitted Tuesday.
Sources: Vatican News; Reuters; Associated Press.
Featured image: St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Photo by Michał Kostrzyński via Unsplash.
