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Pope Leo to be hospitalized Tuesday for surgery to remove a lung nodule
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Pope Leo XIV, aged 71, will undergo surgery Tuesday morning to remove a lung nodule discovered during recent medical tests, with a predicted recovery time of about one week.
- The Vatican clarified that the tests were routine and not prompted by any specific health issue, countering Italian media reports of inflammation.
- Despite the upcoming surgery, Pope Leo XIV maintained a full schedule on Monday, including multiple audiences and appointments, and openly disclosed the health matter during his Sunday noon prayer.
- This marks the first major health event of his 17-month pontificate and reflects an unusual level of transparency about papal health compared to historical Vatican practices.
- Medical experts note that if the lung nodule is cancerous, early removal generally leads to an excellent prognosis for the pope.
