Vatican says recovery is expected to take about a week, all public events of Pope Leo cancelled until October 20<\/p>\n
Pope Leo arrives at Gemelli Hospital ahead of the pontiff’s surgery to remove a lung nodule, in Rome, Italy. REUTERS <\/p>\n
Pope Leo<\/a> will \u200chave surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon to remove a small growth on one of his lungs, in the first major health issue of his 17-month tenure.<\/p>\n Leo, 71, said on Sunday that the growth, a small nodule, was found during a recent check-up and was “well-contained” and spotted early.<\/p>\n The Vatican confirmed the timing of the surgery after Leo was seen heading into \u200bRome in a convoy of vehicles driving toward Gemelli Hospital, about nine\u00a0kilometres\u00a0\u2060north of the Vatican.<\/p>\n Read<\/strong>: Pope Leo to be operated in ‘coming days’<\/a><\/p>\n The pope waved from a black SUV as he left the Vatican.<\/p>\n NOW: Pope Leo XIV arrives at Gemelli Hospital ahead of his lung operation, as a cheering crowd greets him outside.<\/p>\n The pope smiled and gave a brief wave as he stepped out of his car before greeting doctors.<\/p>\n Pope Leo is set to undergo surgery later in the day to remove a lung\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/mnwNcGEJhe<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Fox News (@FoxNews) October 13, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n Upon arrival at the hospital, \u200bLeo shook hands with several officials, walked in front of a waiting crowd of well-wishers, some of whom shouted ‘Auguri’ (best \u200bwishes), and headed in via the main entrance.<\/p>\n The Vatican has said his recovery is expected to take about a week. All his public events have been cancelled until October 20.<\/p>\n Relatively young Pope<\/strong><\/p>\n Leo, elected by the world’s cardinals in May 2025, is relatively \u200byoung for a Church leader. He enjoys sports, including tennis, and is not known to be a smoker \u200bor to have had health issues previously.<\/p>\n A nodule on the lung is a small, localised lesion that can be benign. The American \u200cThoracic \u2060Society says fewer than 5% of lung nodules overall prove cancerous, although risk rises with age, size, and other factors such as smoking.<\/p>\n Dr Federico Venuto, chief of thoracic surgery at Rome’s Policlinico Umberto I Hospital, said procedures to remove lung nodules are usually minimally invasive, and can sometimes involve use of a thin camera tube called a thoracoscope.<\/p>\n “The complication \u200brate is extremely low,” he \u200btold Reuters<\/em>.<\/p>\n South American trip<\/strong><\/p>\n The \u2060late Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, was hospitalised several times as he grew frail in his later years. He died aged 88 in April 2025.<\/p>\n Leo, who spoke in a firm, clear voice<\/a> \u200bat his only public event on Monday, keeps a very busy schedule. He is \u200bdue to make \u2060an 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17.<\/p>\n In the same address on Sunday, when the pope announced his need for surgery, he said he would go ahead with the trip<\/a>.<\/p>\n The pope is the ultimate earthly authority for the \u2060world’s 1.4 billion \u200bCatholics and does not have a deputy who steps in when \u200bhe is sick. When a pope is incapacitated, the business of the Vatican’s vast bureaucracy carries on as usual, holding off on any decisions \u200bthat require papal approval.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n