Pope Leo XIV was due to undergo surgery in Rome on Tuesday to remove a pulmonary nodule, a small growth of tissue in the lung, in what would be his first hospitalisation since becoming head of the Catholic Church in May 2025.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni told AFP that the 71-year-old pontiff was expected to arrive at Gemelli Hospital in the late morning.
The Vatican said doctors discovered the nodule at an early stage during recent routine medical checks. Pope Leo disclosed the development on Sunday after the Angelus prayers in St Peter’s Square, saying doctors had recommended surgery.
His audiences have been cancelled until October 20, with the Vatican estimating that his recovery could take about a week.
Gemelli Hospital, where popes are traditionally treated, is expected to accommodate Leo in a secured suite on its top floor. His personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, is also expected to accompany him.
Thoracic surgery expert Marco Scarci told AFP that the procedure was generally considered low-risk, although returning to pre-surgery fitness could take up to three months.
Most pulmonary nodules are benign, but some can indicate early-stage lung cancer. Professor Federico Venuta, head of Thoracic Surgery at Policlinico Umberto I Hospital in Rome, told AFP that such growths can result from various inflammatory, infectious, autoimmune or congenital conditions, as well as malignancy.
Venuta said the outlook for lung cancer detected at an early stage, without distant spread, was generally favourable. However, the nature of the pope’s nodule has not been publicly confirmed.
The surgery could also affect the pontiff’s planned trip to South America from November 6 to 17, during which he is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
Venuta told AFP that air travel is generally avoided for about 20 days after such procedures, although the timing depends on the individual case.
The Vatican has become more open about papal health in recent years, following the approach of Pope Francis, who spoke publicly about his medical conditions during his papacy.
