Posted by Chinenye on Tue 13th Oct, 2026 - tori.ng
Pope Leo is set to undergo a medical procedure after doctors discovered a growth in his lung, prompting him to step away from public duties.
(Pope Leo. Photo by Reuters)
Pope Leo will be admitted to hospital for a small operation to remove a growth from one of his lungs, the Vatican said.
He is expected to be admitted late this morning, but the Vatican has not said when the surgery will happen.
The growth was found during a routine checkup.
The Pope said on Sunday that it is small, well contained and was caught early.
Because of this, he has cancelled all public events from today until October 20.
Even on a busy day yesterday, he met visiting bishops and spoke to a Rome charity group in a strong, clear voice.
The Vatican expects his recovery to take about a week.
The Pope is 71 and was chosen as leader of the Church in May 2025.
He enjoys sports like tennis and has no known history of smoking or serious health problems.
Most lung nodules are harmless.
Fewer than 5 percent turn out to be cancer, though the risk goes up with age and smoking.
A surgeon in Rome said these operations are usually minor, often done through a small camera tube, and the risk of complications is very low.
Pope Leo has chosen to speak openly about his health.
His predecessor, Pope Francis, often went into hospital without warning, which sometimes sparked worry in the media.
Pope Leo XIV has announced that he will undergo surgery this week, to remove a nodule in his lung after it was detected during a medical check-up. It is the first major health concern of the 71-year-old Pontiff. https://t.co/rxoJFDJBXI
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 11, 2026