The Vatican has provided information about the lung surgery undergone by Pope Leo 14. The operation was completed successfully, as planned. The Vatican Press Office announced that Pope Leo 14 returned to his hospital room after undergoing surgery at Gemelli Hospital to remove a nodule in his lung.
The Pope left the Vatican around noon and walked into the hospital in Rome. The surgery was performed by a thoracic surgery team led by Prof. Stefano Margaritora.
He saw the Pope calm. Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated that he was concerned, but that thanks to the nodule being detected early, the problem could be resolved in a short time.
His schedule has been cancelled until October 20. While recovery is expected to take approximately one week, Leo 14 had announced his decision to undergo surgery to the public on October 11 during his Sunday prayer from the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square. The Italian press described this as a first in history. The Italian press wrote that the decision aimed to save the South America visit scheduled for November 6-17:
The list consists of three countries. The Italian press reported the countries Leo 14 will visit as part of his South America trip on November 6-17, in the following order: – Uruguay – Argentina – Peru
The Pope was elected on May 8, 2025. The 71-year-old American Robert Francis Prevost was elected at the Conclave on May 8, 2025, following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025.
Why it matters
For 71-year-old Leo 14, who is only in the first months of his tenure, this operation constitutes the first health test of his new papacy, which began on May 8, 2025. The early detection of the nodule and the Pope’s entering the hospital on foot paved the way for the Vatican to present the process as a serious but controlled picture. The announcement of the surgery decision directly to the public during the Sunday prayer is considered a first in history by the Italian press; this indicates that a threshold has been crossed in the way health information is shared at the Vatican. The clearing of the schedule until October 20 shows that the South America visit in November, covering Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, is intended to be preserved. The question that remains open is whether the recovery process, expected to take about a week, will be completed in time for this intensive three-country travel program.