Pope Leo says will undergo surgery for small growth on lung

Pope Leo ​said on Sunday that doctors ‌had detected ​a small growth on his lung during a recent health check and he would ‌be undergoing surgery this week to remove it, in the first health scare of the 71-year-old pontiff's tenure.

Leo told pilgrims in St. Peter's Square ‌for his weekly Sunday prayer that the growth was "well-contained" and ‌caught at an early stage. "Recently, during some medical examinations, doctors found a localized nodule in my lung," said the pontiff. "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." Leo, elected pope by the world's cardinals ⁠in May 2025, is relatively young for a Church leader. He enjoys sports, including tennis, ⁠and ​is not known to previously have had health issues.

The late Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor, died at age 88 and was increasingly ⁠frail in his later years. The Vatican press office said Leo's recovery ⁠from surgery was ⁠expected to take about a week. It did not immediately provide further details about the pope's health.