Pope Leo XIV cancels audiences through October 20 ahead of lung surgery

VATICAN CITY, Oct 13 – Pope Leo XIV has cancelled all his audiences through October 20 ahead of his admission to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital later Tuesday for surgery to remove a localized nodule in his lung, Vatican News reports.

The Pope is expected to be admitted to the hospital late in the morning, with his medical team planning to remove the small, localized nodule discovered during recent medical examinations.

According to Vatican News, the Pope announced the planned operation during Sunday’s Angelus, explaining that the nodule had been detected during recent checks.

Responding to journalists’ questions on Monday, Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, clarified that the examinations were routine and confirmed that the Pope was expected to remain in hospital for approximately one week following surgery.

Pope Leo held all his scheduled audiences on Monday morning despite the impending hospitalization. However, he was due to miss the afternoon session of a meeting in the Paul VI Hall marking the 10th anniversary of the publication of Amoris laetitia, Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation on love in the family.

Cardinal Tagle to preside over Mass

The Pope’s hospitalization has also prompted changes to the meeting’s programme, including a Mass scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, in St Peter’s Square.

Pope Leo will no longer preside over the celebration, which will bring together meeting participants, including heads of Eastern Churches, presidents of bishops’ conferences, married couples and experts.

He has entrusted the Mass to Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and Dean of the College of Cardinals.

“During the Mass, we will pray especially for the Holy Father’s health, as well as for families,” Jesuit Father Giacomo Costa said during a briefing at the Holy See Press Office.

Costa oversees the meeting’s methodology and serves as a consultor to the General Secretariat of the Synod.

Pope seeks to hear meeting’s conclusions

The Pope’s absence will also affect plans for the publication of a synthesis report at the end of the meeting.

Costa said Pope Leo had expressed a desire to listen to participants’ conclusions and offer his own reflections before the report is published.

The Pope has therefore asked that publication be postponed so he can first hear the findings and respond.

After leaving hospital, he intends to review the document and other meeting materials before offering his reflections.

“I think this desire of his to listen is beautiful,” Costa said, adding that the Pope did not want the meeting to conclude without an opportunity to offer guidance that could support the commitment of the wider Church.

Vatican News reported that the Pope had received messages of support from Churches and political leaders across all five continents ahead of the operation.