Pope to Be Admitted to Hospital for Lung Operation
The Vatican said the 71-year-old pope will undergo surgery after doctors found the growth during a routine checkup.
- On Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV will enter Rome's Gemelli hospital for surgery to remove a lung nodule discovered during recent medical checks, marking his first hospitalization since becoming head of the Catholic Church 17 months ago.
- Unlike his predecessor Pope Francis, who typically kept health matters private, Leo announced the procedure himself on Sunday during Angelus prayers, describing the nodule as "at a very early stage" and "well-contained."
- Thoracic surgery expert Marco Scarci told AFP the operation is not "a particularly risky operation," while the American Thoracic Society reports fewer than 5% of such lung nodules prove cancerous.
- Vatican officials confirmed Leo has cancelled all public appointments until October 20; Church bureaucracy will continue operations during his recovery, though decisions requiring papal approval are held pending.
- Despite the surgery, Leo intends to proceed with his 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru beginning November 6, though reaching pre-surgery fitness may require up to three months.
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Pope Leo XIV will be admitted on Tuesday (13), in Rome, to undergo a surgery to remove a small nodule located in the lung. The Vatican informed that the procedure was recommended by doctors after the change was identified at an early stage and circumscribed. The expectation is that the 71-year-old Pontiff has about a week of recovery. The procedure should be performed at the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital, traditionally known for receiving…
Radio France Internationale
Pope to be admitted to hospital for lung operation
The 71-year-old will head to the Gemelli hospital in the late morning, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told AFP. The surgery to remove a pulmonary nodule, or small growth of tissue in the lung, will mark the pope's first hospitalisation since he became head of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025. On Sunday, in a surprise announcement following Angelus prayers, Leo told faithful in St Peter's Square that doctors had discovered the nodule "at a very…
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