VATICAN CITY — The Vatican announced that Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to enter the hospital late Tuesday morning for surgery to remove a lung nodule identified during recent medical examinations.
Officials did not specify the exact timing of the operation. However, it was expected to take place during the first part of the week, followed by an anticipated recovery lasting about seven days.
Leo disclosed the diagnosis during his Sunday midday prayer, saying he was following medical advice to have the growth removed. The Vatican press office said Monday that there had been no specific health concern behind the testing, rejecting Italian media reports that an inflammation had led to the examination.
Despite the upcoming procedure, the 71-year-old pope maintained a full schedule at the Vatican on Monday. He met with members of Circolo San Pietro, a Rome charity, and accepted a donation from the group. Speaking in a firm, steady voice, Leo commended their dedication and service before receiving an enthusiastic ovation.
The pope also held six additional private meetings and made three appointments. The Vatican released a letter he wrote to the departing dean of the College of Cardinals, thanking him for his work. The letter had been signed Sunday.
Leo was expected to continue meeting with visitors in the afternoon and, if his schedule allowed, return to a weeklong conference he organized on pastoral care for families.
A first medical event for the papacy
The operation represents the first major medical episode of Leo’s 17-month papacy. Its announcement was notable because the pope shared the news himself, telling thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the close of his Sunday blessing.
For centuries, the Vatican has closely controlled information about a pope’s health, at times offering limited or confusing updates about illnesses. Pope Francis sought to be more open about his physical limitations and occasionally spoke about mortality, although medical information remained carefully managed throughout his papacy.
By announcing both the condition and the planned surgery publicly, Leo appeared to signal an uncommon degree of transparency from the American pontiff.
A lung nodule is a small abnormal spot, typically measuring less than 3 centimeters, or about 1 inch, that can appear on a CT scan of the chest or abdomen. Such imaging is often performed while investigating an injury or infection rather than as part of a lung cancer screening. Nodules may be either benign or malignant, and doctors sometimes recommend surgical removal to determine their nature because obtaining a needle biopsy can be challenging.
Oncologists said that if testing shows the nodule is cancerous, Leo’s outlook would be “excellent” because the growth will have been removed at an early stage.
Unlike Pope Francis, whose long-running respiratory problems eventually left him speaking in a whisper, Leo generally speaks with a powerful voice and often sings during prayers.
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