Pope Leo XIV to undergo surgery soon after lung nodule found ... first health issue since taking office last year

[Financial News] Pope Leo XIV will undergo surgery to remove a nodule found in his lung. This is the first time a health issue has been publicly disclosed since the U.S.-born pope took office in May last year.

According to foreign media outlets, including Vatican News, on the 11th (local time), Pope Leo XIV personally told the faithful about his health as he led the Sunday Angelus (the noon blessing) in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
The pope explained, “During a recent health checkup, doctors found a localized nodule in my lung,” adding, “It is at a very early stage, with clear boundaries around it, and has not spread to other areas.” He continued, “I accepted the medical team’s advice that treatment was needed and decided to undergo surgery, which is scheduled within the next few days.”
Matteo Bruni, a Vatican spokesman, said the surgery would take place early this week at Agostino Gemelli General Hospital in Rome, Italy, and that recovery after the operation was expected to take about a week. A lung nodule is a small, round mass measuring 3 cm or less in diameter that forms inside the lung. At least 90% are benign tumors or traces of past inflammation, but the decision to remove it is understood to have been made as a preventive measure and for a thorough diagnosis.

At 71, Pope Leo XIV took office at a relatively young age compared with predecessors such as Pope Francis, who died at 88. He has remained physically active, regularly enjoying tennis and swimming each week at Castel Gandolfo, the pope’s summer residence, and no significant medical history had been reported to date.
After news of the surgery emerged, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni promptly issued a statement, saying, “Both personally and on behalf of the Italian government, I convey my deep solidarity and offer my support.” She added, “The pope’s peaceful and calm demeanor during the Angelus today was a great comfort, and the people will also continue to send him their unwavering support and affection.”
Meanwhile, the pope is due to visit South America from November 6 to 17, including Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, and the progress of his recovery after surgery is expected to have some effect on his upcoming itinerary.


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