Pope Leo has revealed that doctors found a small growth on his lung during a recent medical examination and that he will undergo surgery this week to have it removed, marking the first health scare of the 71-year-old pontiff’s tenure.
Speaking to pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square for his weekly Sunday prayer, Leo said the growth was “well-contained” and had been identified at an early stage.
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“Recently, during some medical examinations, doctors found a localised nodule in my lung,” the pope said. “It was detected at a very early stage and is well contained.”
“The doctors believe it is advisable to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it,” he said. “The operation is already scheduled for the next few days.”
The American Thoracic Society says fewer than 5% of lung nodules overall prove to be cancerous, though the risk increases with age, the size of the nodule and other factors.
Leo, who was elected pope by the world’s cardinals in May 2025, is relatively young for a leader of the Catholic Church. He plays sports, including tennis, and has not previously been known to suffer from health problems.
His predecessor, the late Pope Francis, died at 88 after becoming increasingly frail in his final years.
The Vatican press office said Leo was expected to need about a week to recover from the operation. It did not immediately release further information about the pope’s condition.
Leo maintains a demanding schedule and is due to embark on an 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from 6-17 November.
Before disclosing his health issue in Sunday’s address, the pope spoke about the planned journey and thanked Catholics for praying “for the pastoral visit I will undertake.”
