<p>Pope Leo XIV announced on October 11, 2026, that he will undergo surgery to remove a nodule discovered in his lung. This marks the first significant health concern for the 71-year-old pontiff since he became the leader of the Catholic Church last year.</p>
<p>During his weekly Sunday blessing in St. Peter’s Square, Leo disclosed that doctors found the abnormal growth during a recent examination and recommended its removal.</p>
<p>“It was detected at a very early stage and is well-localized,” Leo stated, according to a Vatican translation of his remarks. “The doctors believe that it is best to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it. The operation is already scheduled to take place in the coming days.”</p>
<p>The Vatican confirmed that the surgery is scheduled for early this week at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where the pope is expected to remain for approximately one week for recovery.</p>
<p>The Vatican has not disclosed whether the nodule is cancerous or provided additional details about its size or characteristics.</p>
<p>Lung nodules are small abnormal growths that can be identified during routine medical imaging. While some nodules are cancerous, many are benign and can result from infections, inflammation, or scar tissue, according to the American Cancer Society.</p>
<p>Leo, the first American-born pope, has no publicly known history of serious health issues and maintains an active lifestyle that includes playing tennis and swimming.</p>
<p>His planned surgery comes less than a month before a scheduled trip to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from November 6-17. The Vatican has not announced any changes to the itinerary, and Leo indicated that he still intends to travel.</p>
<p>The announcement also follows Leo's comments on a planned execution in his homeland. On October 10, he reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s opposition to capital punishment, calling the death penalty “inadmissible” in a social media post marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty.</p>
<p>His remarks came after the Pentagon announced that the December 3 execution by firing squad of Nidal Malik Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, will be livestreamed. Leo did not address Hasan’s case directly.</p>
<p>Leo’s upcoming surgery recalls the health struggles of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who was hospitalized at Gemelli for more than a month in 2025 after developing double pneumonia. Francis, who had suffered from chronic respiratory problems and had part of his lung removed as a young man, died on April 21, 2025, following a stroke.</p>