Pope Leo XIV was due to enter Rome’s Gemelli hospital late on Tuesday morning, October 13, ahead of surgery to remove a lung nodule, the Vatican said. Reuters and AP reported that the operation’s exact timing had not been announced. His admission remained scheduled in those reports.
The 71-year-old pope disclosed the finding during his Sunday Angelus prayer. According to Vatican News, doctors found a small, localized nodule during recent examinations. Leo said it had been detected early and that he accepted their recommendation to have it removed.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the examinations were routine checks. A lung nodule can be benign or malignant; its discovery alone does not establish cancer. AP reported that evaluation of the lesion would determine its nature and whether further treatment was needed. No cancer diagnosis has been announced.
The Vatican expects approximately one week in hospital after surgery and has cancelled audiences through October 20. Leo kept his scheduled Monday morning meetings, Vatican News reported. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle will replace him at the October 14 Mass in St. Peter’s Square.
Reuters described this as the first major health issue of Leo’s 17-month papacy. Specialists interviewed by the news agencies discussed minimally invasive techniques, but the procedure selected for the pope had not been confirmed. Their comments were general assessments, not findings from his treating team.
According to Reuters, Leo has said he intends to proceed with his November 6–17 visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. For now, the Vatican’s recovery estimate is about a week. The medical assessment and his recovery will be relevant to the next steps; the published reports did not establish a surgical outcome.
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