Pope Leo XIV has announced that he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a nodule discovered in his lung, revealing that the growth was detected at a very early stage.
The 71-year-old pontiff disclosed the development on Sunday during his weekly Angelus address in St Peter’s Square, explaining that recent medical examinations had revealed the abnormality.
“During recent medical checks, a nodule on my lung was found. It has been detected at a very early stage and is very localised,” Leo said.
The pope explained that doctors had recommended surgery to remove the nodule and that he had agreed to follow their advice.
“The doctors believe it would be right to intervene and so, following their advice, I have decided to have the operation to remove it. The operation is already planned in the coming days,” he added.
Following the announcement during the pope’s Angelus prayers, the Vatican press office said his recovery from the procedure was expected to take approximately one week.
Born in Chicago, Leo became the first American pope when he was elected to lead the Catholic Church in May 2025, following the death of his Argentine predecessor, Pope Francis, on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88.
Francis spent several weeks receiving medical treatment at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where popes traditionally receive healthcare.
Leo, whose birth name is Robert Francis Prevost, was elected leader of the world’s estimated 1.4 billion Catholics on May 8, 2025.
Since becoming pope, he has gradually established his own approach to leading the Catholic Church. Although considered less outgoing than his predecessor, Leo has increasingly spoken out on major global issues, ranging from violent conflicts to the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
Pope Leo’s Criticism of Trump Over Iran War
The pontiff has also attracted international attention for his criticism of the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
After the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran in February, Leo emerged as a prominent critic of the conflict, urging leaders to pursue peace.
He condemned US President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy Iran as “truly unacceptable” and called on Americans to pressure their lawmakers to “work for peace”.
Trump subsequently attacked the pope, describing him as “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy”.
Leo defended his position, insisting that speaking out on matters involving war and peace was part of his responsibility as leader of the Catholic Church.
In response to Trump’s criticism, the pontiff said he had a “moral duty to speak out”.
The planned operation comes as Leo continues his leadership of the Catholic Church and speaks on major international developments. According to the Vatican press office, his recovery from the procedure is expected to take around one week.
Source: AFP
