Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV will soon undergo surgery to remove a nodular lesion on his lung after it was recently discovered. The 71-year-old pontiff shared this crucial health update with the faithful during his Sunday noon blessing, noting that the small nodule was caught at an early stage and that he decided to proceed with surgery following medical advice.
The operation is scheduled for the coming days at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, with Vatican sources indicating an expected recovery time of about a week. Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether the surgery and recovery will affect the pope’s planned official visit to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from November 6 to 17, though he indicated during his remarks that he still intends to make the trip.
Leading an active lifestyle with weekly tennis and swimming at the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo has no previously known health problems. This health update comes a little over a year after the passing of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who died following a long hospitalization for respiratory illness. Following the announcement, world leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, expressed their support and solidarity with the pope.
