Pope Leo announces he will undergo surgery to remove lung nodule

By Christopher Lamb, Antonia Mortensen, CNN

(CNN) — Pope Leo XIV has announced he will undergo surgery to remove a lung nodule that was discovered during recent health checks.

The 71-year-old pope made the announcement to those gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Angelus prayer on Sunday. The Vatican said he will be admitted to the Gemelli hospital in Rome late morning Tuesday ahead of the procedure.

“It was detected at a very early stage and is well-defined. The doctors deem it advisable to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it.”

A lung nodule is a small mass of dense tissue on the lung and most are non-cancerous. But risks can rise with factors like age.

The Vatican has said the pope will need about a week in hospital to recover following the operation.

During this period the Vatican will continue to function as normal, but decisions needing the pope’s signature will be placed on hold.

The pope kept his normal busy schedule Monday, holding back-to-back meetings in the morning before participating in a gathering of bishops and church leaders in the Vatican.

Leo is relatively young for a pope, and is generally seen to be in good health. He plays tennis and remains physically active.

Health problems dogged previous popes with Leo’s predecessor Francis spending an extended period in hospital and facing multiple health difficulties in the final months of his life.

Leo XIV is preparing for a major visit to Latin America from 6-17 November where he is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni offered her support to Leo “as he faces this challenge in the coming days.”

This story has been updated.

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