Pope Leo XIV to Undergo Lung Procedure in Coming Days
Pope Leo XIV said on Sunday that he will have surgery to remove a lung nodule found during recent medical checks. The procedure is expected in the first days of the week beginning 12 October at Gemelli University Hospital in Rome, with roughly a week of recovery. The 71-year-old, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, is the first pope born in the United States.
Pope Leo XIV, 71, was born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago and became the first pontiff born in the United States after his 2025 election following Pope Francis’s death. Before his election, he served as a missionary and bishop in Chiclayo, Peru, and he has a planned November visit to Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay.
He told worshippers at the Angelus in St Peter’s Square that a recent scan found a small, well-contained lung nodule. The Holy See says surgery is set for the first days of the week starting 12 October at Gemelli University Hospital, with roughly seven days of recovery. Whether the nodule is benign remains undisclosed.
The pope’s upcoming procedure may draw heightened attention from Catholics, US observers, and Vatican watchers, given his status as the first American pontiff. A short recovery could limit public appearances, possibly affecting planned November travel to Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay. Pilgrims and travelers may watch for schedule changes, while the Vatican’s brief medical updates could shape public concern and speculation until more is known.