By Opeyemi Adelakun
Pope Leo XIV was admitted to hospital in Rome on Tuesday for an operation to remove a nodule from his lung, in his first hospitalisation since becoming head of the Catholic Church in May 2025.
The Vatican said the surgery would be performed by the thoracic surgery team at Gemelli University Hospital on Tuesday afternoon. The pope, 71, is expected to need about a week to recover, prompting the cancellation of his public audiences until October 20.
Leo disclosed on Sunday, after reciting the Angelus prayer at St Peter’s Square, that doctors had discovered the pulmonary nodule during recent medical checks.
He said the growth had been detected “at a very early stage” and that doctors considered an operation the appropriate course of action.
The pontiff appeared calm before the procedure, according to senior Catholic Church officials who met him on Monday.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, told Italian news agency ANSA that Leo had been “very calm” about the condition.
Japanese Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi also described the pope as “very relaxed” and said he remained his usual jovial self.
Leo waved to well-wishers as he left the Vatican by car and greeted people waiting outside the hospital before entering the facility.
Doctors optimistic about recovery
A pulmonary nodule is a small growth of tissue in the lung. Although most such nodules are benign, some can indicate an early stage of lung cancer.
The Vatican told AFP that the nodule was discovered during routine medical checks and that the pope had not experienced symptoms that prompted the examination.
British thoracic surgery expert Marco Scarci told AFP that the procedure was not particularly risky and predicted that Leo could recover quickly, although returning to his previous level of fitness might take up to three months.
Professor Federico Venuta, head of thoracic surgery at Rome’s Policlinico Umberto I hospital, said pulmonary nodules could result from several conditions, including inflammation, infection, autoimmune disorders or cancer.
He added that even if the growth proved malignant, the outlook would be favourable if the condition had been detected early and had not spread.
The Vatican has historically disclosed limited details about papal health, although it became more forthcoming during the final illness of Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, who died last year.
South American trip ahead
Leo is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17.
However, the timing of his recovery could be relevant to the planned journey. Venuta told AFP that air travel is generally avoided for about 20 days after some lung procedures, although individual circumstances can influence the advice.
The Vatican has not announced any change to the pope’s travel schedule.
Gemelli University Hospital is the facility where popes are commonly treated. Its special suite on the 10th floor is currently undergoing renovation, meaning Leo will stay in another suite on the same floor under heightened security.
The operation marks the first time Leo has been hospitalised since his election as pope on May 8, 2025.
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