Pope Leo to have surgery to remove a nodule from his lung
Pope Leo XIV said on Sunday that he will have surgery in the coming days to remove a nodular lesion from his lung that was found during recent medical checks, Reuters, the Guardian, BBC, ABC and the Washington Post reported. The 71-year-old said the nodule was identified “at a very early stage”, according to the BBC, and the Guardian said the procedure will take place in the first days of this week. ABC said he did not say in his Sunday address whether the lesion was malignant. The Buenos Aires Times said the surgery comes a month before a planned visit.
The health of the head of the Catholic Church, who has about 1.4 billion followers, matters to Vatican planning, travel and succession questions, and a lung operation at 71 is closely watched.
There is no direct effect in Australia. The Vatican is expected to give an update after the operation.
Watch the Vatican’s statement after surgery, the pathology result, and whether his planned trip goes ahead. A nodule is not the same as a tumour; the Vatican has not said which it is.
DailyDrop Australia edition No. 8 · Morning · MON., OCT. 12, 2026