Pope Leo XIV to have surgery in 'coming days' to remove nodule in lung

Published on 11/10/2026 - 13:02 GMT+2•Updated 13:07

Pope Leo XIV announced on Sunday that he was scheduled to have surgery in the "coming days" to remove a nodule in his lung.

Speaking during his weekly address in St. Peter's Square, the 71-year-old pontiff said the nodule had been discovered during "recent checkups" and that doctors believed it would be best to intervene.

"It was detected at a very early stage and is well localised," he said.

"I have decided to undergo surgery to have it removed," he continued, adding that the procedure was "already scheduled for the coming days."

The operation will reportedly take place at Rome's Gemelli University Hospital.

The Vatican press office told reporters that the procedure is set to take place early in the week and that the expected recovery time is roughly one week.

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