Pope Leo XIV to undergo surgery for lung nodule

Pope Leo XIV announced on October 11, 2026, that he will undergo surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital to remove a localized, early-stage lung nodule. The 71-year-old pontiff, elected in May 2025 as the first US-born pope, faces his first major health issue. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni reported an estimated post-operative recovery time of about one week. It remains unclear whether the operation will affect Pope Leo's scheduled tour of Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru set for November 6–17.

Lung nodule diagnosis and planned surgery

• ▪Pope Leo XIV announced on October 11, 2026, that doctors detected a localized, very early-stage nodule on his lung during recent medical examinations described in his St. Peter's Square address
• ▪Pope Leo XIV's lung surgery is scheduled to take place at Rome's Gemelli Hospital in the first days of the week of October 11, 2026
• ▪Vatican press office spokesperson Matteo Bruni stated that Pope Leo XIV's estimated post-operative recovery time will be approximately one week
• ▪Pope Leo XIV announced that he decided to undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a localized, early-stage lung nodule following medical advice

Upcoming travel to South America

• ▪It remains unclear whether Pope Leo XIV's upcoming surgery to remove his lung nodule and post-operative recovery will affect his scheduled travel plans to South America in November 2026
• ▪Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to undertake an 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from November 6 through 17

Pope's overall health background

• ▪The lung surgery represents the first major health issue publicly faced by 71-year-old Pope Leo XIV during his tenure
• ▪Pope Leo XIV enjoys playing sports, including tennis, and was not known to have had any prior health issues before his 2026 lung nodule diagnosis

Clash with Donald Trump over foreign policy

• ▪Pope Leo XIV criticized the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran that launched in February 2026, condemning threats to destroy Iran as truly unacceptable
• ▪Pope Leo XIV responded to criticisms from US President Donald Trump by stating that he possessed a moral duty to speak out against war
• ▪US President Donald Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV as weak on crime and foreign policy following the pontiff's opposition to US military actions against Iran