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Pope Leo XIV has been admitted to a hospital in Rome for surgery to remove a nodule discovered in his lung during routine medical checks.
The 71-year-old pontiff was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday, marking his first hospitalisation since becoming head of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025.
The Vatican announced that the operation to remove the pulmonary nodule, a small growth of tissue in the lung, was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
The development came after the Pope informed worshippers at St Peter’s Square on Sunday, following the Angelus prayers, that doctors had discovered the nodule at an early stage during recent medical examinations.
“The doctors believe it would be right to intervene,” he said.
Leo waved to well-wishers as he left the Vatican by car and later smiled and waved at people waiting outside Gemelli Hospital before entering the facility for treatment.
The operation is expected to be performed by the hospital’s thoracic surgery team, led by Stefano Margaritora.
Pope remains calm ahead of surgery
Despite the hospitalisation, the Pope was reported to be calm about the procedure.
The Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, told the ANSA news agency that Leo had been “very calm” about the lung nodule when they met on Monday.
Japanese Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, who also met with the pontiff, told the Repubblica newspaper that he appeared relaxed and maintained his usual sense of humour.
“Very relaxed, as he always is, and jokey, as usual,” Kikuchi said.
The Pope’s recovery is expected to take about a week, while his scheduled audiences have been cancelled until October 20.
Gemelli Hospital is the medical facility where popes are traditionally treated. Pontiffs usually stay in a special suite on the hospital’s 10th floor, equipped with a chapel, kitchen, bathroom and meeting room.
However, because the suite is undergoing renovation, Leo is expected to stay in another suite on the same floor under high security.
His personal nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, is also expected to assist him during his hospital stay. Strappetti previously cared for Pope Francis during several hospitalisations at the facility before his death last year.
Nodule discovered during routine checks
The Vatican said the lung nodule was detected during routine medical examinations, adding that the Pope had not experienced symptoms that prompted doctors to investigate his lungs.
Leo, who was born in Chicago, United States, is the first American to become Pope and is generally considered to be in good health.
Medical experts say most pulmonary nodules are benign, meaning they are not cancerous, although some may indicate early-stage lung cancer.
Federico Venuta, head of thoracic surgery at Rome’s Policlinico Umberto I hospital, explained that small lung nodules are sometimes referred to as “coin lesions” because of their appearance on X-rays.
Such growths can develop from several conditions, including inflammation, infections, autoimmune diseases and congenital abnormalities. However, some may be malignant.
Depending on the size and location of a nodule, doctors may remove it through different procedures, including image-guided biopsy, endoscopy or surgery. Some procedures require general anaesthesia and the use of a breathing tube.
Venuta said the outlook could remain positive even if the nodule proved malignant, noting that lung cancer detected at an early stage, before spreading to distant parts of the body, generally has a more favourable prognosis.
South American trip remains scheduled
The Pope is scheduled to embark on a South American tour from November 6 to 17, with planned visits to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
However, it remains unclear whether the surgery and recovery period will affect the planned journey.
Venuta said patients are generally advised to avoid air travel for about 20 days following certain lung procedures, although the appropriate recovery period varies depending on the operation and the patient’s condition.
A United Kingdom-based thoracic surgery expert, Marco Scarci, described the procedure as “not a particularly risky operation” and expressed confidence that the Pope could recover quickly.
However, he noted that it could take up to three months for a patient to regain their pre-surgery fitness level.
The Vatican has not indicated whether the Pope’s planned trip will be altered following the procedure.
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