ROME: The Pope Leo lung operation will take place on Tuesday as Pope Leo XIV is admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital for surgery to remove a small pulmonary nodule — a small growth of tissue in the lung. It will be the first hospitalisation of his pontificate.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the 71-year-old pontiff would be admitted in the late morning, and the Vatican has said his recovery could take about a week.
All of the Pope’s audiences have been cancelled through Tuesday, October 20, according to the Prefecture of the Papal Household. He held all his scheduled audiences on Monday morning, but will not attend the afternoon session of a meeting marking the tenth anniversary of the publication of *Amoris laetitia*.
The Pope announced the planned surgery himself on Sunday in a surprise address to worshippers gathered in St Peter’s Square after the Angelus prayer. He said doctors had discovered the nodule “at a very early stage” during recent medical examinations.
“The doctors believe it would be right to intervene and so, following their advice, I have decided to have the operation to remove it,” he told the crowd.
Pope Leo lung operation: first hospital stay since 2025 election
The surgery marks Pope Leo’s first hospitalisation since he became head of the Catholic Church’s 1.4 billion members on May 8, 2025, when Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the 267th pope and the first American to lead the Church.
Bruni confirmed on Monday that the examinations had been routine checks. The Vatican has not said whether the nodule is cancerous and has not described the type of surgery or released further diagnostic detail, but experts quoted by international media described the procedure as generally low-risk.
The Pope will stay in a special top-floor suite at the Gemelli, complete with a small chapel, kitchen and meeting room for medical staff. He has received messages of support from churches and political leaders across all five continents.
Gemelli: the popes’ hospital
The choice of hospital is no surprise. The Gemelli, north of the Vatican, has long been the medical facility for popes. Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, spent weeks there for treatment before his death last year. Pope John Paul II was treated there on nine occasions.
What is a pulmonary nodule?
A pulmonary nodule is a small growth of tissue in the lung. Most are benign, meaning they are not cancerous, although a small proportion can represent an early stage of lung cancer. Small nodules usually cause no symptoms and are often found incidentally during medical examinations carried out for other reasons.
Surgical removal is normally performed under general anaesthesia, with the patient receiving breathing support through a tube. Doctors usually recommend removal when a nodule’s size, shape or growth pattern makes it worth testing rather than watching.
Changes to the papal schedule
The operation will disrupt the Pope’s diary for at least a week. One change concerns the Mass scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, in St Peter’s Square, with participants including heads of Eastern Churches, presidents of bishops’ conferences, married couples and experts.
Pope Leo will no longer preside at the celebration and has entrusted that role to Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation and the new Dean of the College of Cardinals. “During the Mass, we will pray especially for the Holy Father’s health, as well as for families,” said Jesuit Fr Giacomo Costa, who oversees the meeting’s methodology.
The hospitalisation will also affect plans for a synthesis report at the end of the meeting. The Pope wanted to listen to the participants’ conclusions and offer his own reflections, so he asked that the report not be published as originally planned until he has heard its contents and can respond.
FAQs
When is Pope Leo’s operation?
Pope Leo XIV was due to be admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital late on the morning of Tuesday, October 13, 2026, for surgery to remove a small, localised nodule from his lung, as reported by Vatican News.
What is a pulmonary nodule?
It is a small growth of tissue in the lung. Most nodules are benign, but a small number can be an early stage of lung cancer, which is why doctors recommended removing it after finding it at an early stage during routine checks.
How long will the Pope stay in hospital?
The Vatican said the recovery could take about a week. All of the Pope’s audiences have been cancelled through October 20.
Is this the Pope’s first hospitalisation?
Yes. It is his first hospitalisation since he became head of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025.
