13.10.2026 22:53
Pope Leo XIV, the leader of the Catholic Church, underwent surgery at Gemelli Hospital in Rome after a nodule was detected in his lung during a routine health check. The Vatican announced that the operation was completed successfully as planned and that the Pope had returned to his room. The 71-year-old Pope is expected to recover within about a week.
The Vatican announced that the surgery performed after a nodule was detected in Pope Leo XIV's lung was completed successfully.
The Vatican issued a statement after the surgery Pope Leo XIV underwent at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, the capital of Italy.
In the statement made by the Vatican Press Office, it was announced that the surgery took place within the expected time and as planned, and it was said, "The surgery was completed successfully and the Pope returned to his room. Additional information will be provided later."
IT WAS DETECTED DURING A ROUTINE HEALTH CHECK
The 71-year-old US-born leader of the Catholic Church had undergone surgery today because doctors recently detected a nodule in a limited area of his lung.
In its statement last Sunday, the Vatican Press Office announced that the nodule, which it said was "detected at a very early stage and remained limited to a specific area," was not found due to symptoms such as inflammation or infection, but during a routine health check.
This was the first health issue made public since the leader of the Catholic world was elected pope in May 2025. The Vatican reported that the Pope is expected to recover within about a week after the surgery.
SUPPORT MESSAGE FROM ITALIAN LEADERS
Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had sent messages of support to the Pope. In his message, Mattarella said, "The Italian people are by your side and offer you their love. Along with Catholics' prayers, you can count on the most sincere wishes of countless people in Italy and around the world. I wish you a swift and full recovery."
Prime Minister Meloni also expressed her support for the Pope before the surgery, saying, "I am sure the Italian people will not withhold their support and love either."
Pope Leo had no previously disclosed serious health problems. His predecessor, Pope Francis, had recurring health problems in the last years of his life and died in 2025 at the age of 88 after being hospitalized several times.
Lung nodules can be benign or malignant, and according to the American Thoracic Society, fewer than 5 percent are cancerous. However, the risk can increase with age and other factors.