Pope Leo to Undergo Surgery for Lung Nodule, Vatican Says

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo lung surgery was announced Sunday by the pontiff himself, who told the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square that doctors had found a localized nodule on his lung and that he would undergo an operation in the coming days.

The 71-year-old pope, speaking in Italian during his weekly Sunday prayer, said the growth was well-contained and asked the crowd for prayers. “I thank you for your spiritual closeness and entrust myself to your prayers,” he said, according to translations of his remarks.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the operation is scheduled for the first days of this week and that the estimated post-operative recovery time will be about one week, Vatican News reported.

Pope Leo lung surgery: what we know

The nodule marks the first major health issue the pope has publicly faced in his roughly one-and-a-half-year tenure. Elected in May 2025, Leo is the first pope in history born in the United States — a milestone that has drawn intense attention to his papacy from American Catholics and beyond.

• Pope Leo, 71, announced the surgery during Sunday’s prayer at St. Peter’s Square.
• Doctors found a “localized nodule” on his lung, described as well-contained.
• Operation scheduled for the first days of this week; recovery expected to take about a week.
• First major health issue of his papacy, which began in May 2025.

A pope who speaks his mind

Since his election, Leo has positioned himself as an outspoken voice for international peace — and has not shied from criticism of powerful leaders, including President Donald Trump. In April, during a four-country tour of Africa, the pope delivered a sharp rebuke of what he described as the manipulation of religion for military, economic, and political gain, and openly criticized Trump’s ongoing Iran war.

The White House pushed back. Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, publicly criticized the pope’s remarks — a clash that drew backlash from some quarters of the country’s conservative Catholic community and underscored the unusual tension between an American-born pontiff and an American president.

What the surgery could mean for his schedule

An expected one-week recovery would sideline the pope from public engagements in the near term. Attention will turn to whether the surgery affects his upcoming travel: Leo is scheduled to embark on an 11-day tour of South America from November 6 through 17, with stops in Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, according to USA Today.

Vatican officials have not said whether the trip is in jeopardy, and a week-long recovery would theoretically leave the pope time to resume his schedule before the November tour. Further updates are expected from the Vatican’s press office in the days ahead.

Papal health in the spotlight

Health announcements from the Vatican always carry outsized significance, given the global reach of the papacy and the age of recent pontiffs. At 71, Leo is younger than several of his predecessors, but the disclosure of a lung nodule — even one described as contained — will inevitably invite scrutiny of his long-term health and the transparency of Vatican medical bulletins.

For now, the Vatican’s messaging is one of routine caution: a localized growth, a planned operation, a short recovery. Catholics around the world are responding the way the pope asked them to — with prayers.

What to watch next

The Vatican is expected to issue a statement following the operation. Observers will be watching for details on the procedure’s outcome, the pope’s recovery timeline, and confirmation that his November South America itinerary remains intact.