Pope Leo XIV Announces Upcoming Lung Nodule Removal Operation

Pope Leo XIV revealed on Sunday that he is scheduled for an operation “in the coming days” to remove a growth discovered on his lung. The 71-year-old pontiff, addressing the faithful during his weekly Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square, stated that the nodule was detected “at a very early stage” during recent medical examinations.

“During recent medical checks, a nodule on my lung was found. It has been detected at a very early stage and is very localised,” Pope Leo XIV explained. He further added, “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.” Following the Pope’s public statement, the Vatican press office indicated that the anticipated recovery period after the procedure would be approximately one week.

Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, who assumed the papal name Leo XIV, made history last year by becoming the first American Pope. His election occurred on May 8, 2025, following the passing of his Argentine predecessor, Pope Francis, on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. Pope Francis had spent several weeks receiving medical care at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, a facility traditionally utilized by Popes for health treatments. Pope Leo XIV now leads the global community of 1.4 billion Catholics.

While possessing a less effervescent personality than his predecessor, Pope Leo XIV has progressively established his distinct leadership style within the Catholic Church. He has increasingly voiced his perspective on critical global challenges, ranging from armed conflicts to the advancements in artificial intelligence. Notably, after the United States and Israel initiated a conflict against Iran in February, the Pope emerged as a prominent critic. He specifically condemned US President Donald Trump’s threat to devastate Iran as “truly unacceptable” and urged American citizens to demand that their lawmakers “work for peace.” In response, President Trump criticized the pontiff, labeling him as “weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy,” to which Pope Leo XIV asserted his “moral duty to speak out.”