The 71-year-old pontiff reportedly woke up normally after the operation and asked for dinner. His public audiences have been cancelled through October 20 as he recovers, raising questions about his planned November visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
BY PC Bureau
October 14: Pope Leo XIV has undergone successful surgery to remove a cancerous growth from his right lung, the Vatican announced, confirming a suspected diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma following pre-operative tests.
The 90-minute operation took place at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where the 71-year-old pontiff spent approximately three hours in the operating room. Surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung to ensure the growth was completely excised. According to the Vatican, Leo “woke up normally” after the procedure, asked for dinner and experienced no immediate complications. Further tests are underway to establish whether the cancer has spread.
The Pope entered the hospital earlier on Tuesday, smiling and waving to well-wishers gathered outside. He is expected to remain in his 10th-floor hospital room for several days of recovery. His public audiences have been cancelled through October 20, casting uncertainty over his planned November 6–17 visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
The surgery marks the first hospitalisation of Leo’s papacy, which began on May 8, 2025. In an announcement following Sunday’s Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square, he told the assembled crowd that doctors had discovered a nodule “at a very early stage” during routine medical examinations and had recommended surgery. The Vatican subsequently confirmed that the growth had been detected before it produced any symptoms.
The disclosure reflects a broader shift towards greater transparency about the health of the Pope, a practice that gained momentum under his predecessor, Pope Francis. Before the operation, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said Leo had appeared “very calm” when they met on Monday.
Pope Leo XIV underwent thoracic surgery at Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, as planned, according to a statement from Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora released by the Holy See Press Office.
The surgeons removed the lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung, and tissue examined during the operation confirmed the diagnosis of “lung adenocarcinoma,” as suspected from tests conducted beforehand.
The Pope was in the operating room approximately three hours, while the operation itself lasted about 90 minutes. The doctors said it was successful and there were no complications.
Pope Leo awoke normally after surgery and, following a brief period of observation, returned to his room on the hospital’s 10th floor, according to the statement.
https://t.co/63Fs28LCZJ— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) October 13, 2026
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Outside Gemelli Hospital, well-wishers expressed concern while drawing reassurance from the early detection of the disease and the hospital’s reputation. Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the vicar general of the Diocese of Rome, led a rosary service in the hospital chapel. The Vatican broadcast the prayer service, which was attended by dozens of people, while inviting parishes across Rome to participate.
Born in Chicago, Leo is the first American to become Pope and has generally been regarded as physically active and in good health. His hospitalisation has nevertheless drawn attention to the question of how the Vatican would manage its affairs if a pontiff were temporarily unable to perform his duties.
Under Church law, the Cardinal Camerlengo assumes specific administrative responsibilities following a Pope’s death, but the office does not function as a deputy papacy during temporary incapacity. The absence of a formal deputy underscores the importance of established Church procedures should a Pope become unable to carry out his responsibilities.
For now, the Vatican’s immediate focus remains on the pontiff’s recovery and the results of further medical tests, which will help determine the next steps in his treatment.
