BREAKING: Pope Leo announces surgery to remove tumor
Pope Leo XIV said he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a lung nodule detected during a recent medical examination. His planned November visit to South America remains on the schedule for now.
The 71-year-old pontiff disclosed the health issue Sunday after leading the traditional Angelus prayer before thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square. He said doctors found a small lung nodule and advised removing it.
Leo said the nodule was detected at a “very early stage.” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the operation is expected to take place within the next several days, followed by an estimated hospital stay of about one week.
“Doctors found a small lump in the lung,” Leo said after the Angelus address. “It was identified at a very early stage and well situated.”
Pope Leo XIV delivers the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
“The doctors consider it appropriate to intervene and so, following their advice, I decided to have surgery to remove it,” he said. “The surgery is already scheduled for the next few days. I thank you for your spiritual closeness and I rely on your prayer.”
The procedure will likely be performed within days at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, a medical center widely known as the “Pope’s” hospital, according to Vatican sources who spoke with Fox News.
The Vatican has not said whether the nodule is cancerous. Officials also have not released additional information about Leo’s diagnosis or the precise nature of the surgery.
Pope Leo XIV attends the Welcome Ceremony at Paris Orrly International Airport on Sept. 25, 2026 in Paris, France. (Simone Risoluti – Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
The announcement was unexpected because the American-born pope has no previously reported health problems and is known for leading an active life.
According to The Associated Press, Leo regularly plays tennis and swims at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
The pope is scheduled to make a major international journey from Nov. 6 through Nov. 17, visiting Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. It is not yet clear whether the operation or his recovery will alter those plans.
During his Sunday remarks, Leo also renewed his call for peace in war-torn Ukraine. He warned that the conflict’s effects are being felt well beyond the country’s borders.
“The war in the martyred Ukraine continues to create suffering, even beyond its borders, especially in the poorest countries, where many people depend on the exports of cereals and grains,” the pope said.
Pope Leo XIV holds Mass during the formal inauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter’s Square attended by heads of state, royalty and ordinary faithful, on May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Leo urged all parties involved in the war to protect Ukrainian grain shipments moving through the Black Sea, highlighting the danger the conflict poses to vulnerable people worldwide.
“I send a strong appeal for all those involved that they can guarantee the safe transport of grains in the Black Sea,” he said. “The daily life of many people cannot be hostage to war.”