Doctors have scheduled surgery for Pope Leo XIV to remove a lung nodule detected during recent medical examinations, with the pontiff expected to recover within about a week.
The 71-year-old leader of the Catholic Church disclosed the development during his weekly Angelus address in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, revealing that the abnormality had been detected at an early stage and was highly localised.
According to a statement from the Vatican press office, medical professionals recommended an operation to remove the nodule, and arrangements for the procedure had already been made.
The Vatican also indicated that the Pope’s recovery was expected to take approximately one week.
Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, became the first American pope following his election on May 8, 2025, after the death of his predecessor, Pope Francis, on April 21, 2025.
Since assuming leadership of the Catholic Church, which has approximately 1.4 billion followers worldwide, Leo has gradually established his papacy while addressing major international issues, including armed conflicts and the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
The planned operation comes as the pontiff continues his leadership of the global Catholic community.
The Vatican’s announcement did not provide further details about the specific nature of the lung nodule beyond describing it as highly localised.
