Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery to remove a growth from his lung on Tuesday at the Gemelli hospital in Rome, and the Vatican said the procedure finished successfully.
The 71-year-old pontiff was admitted earlier in the day after the nodule was found during what the Vatican described as routine check-ups. In a statement, the Vatican said the operation ended on time and as expected, and that the Pope had returned to his room.
The Pope himself disclosed the news on Sunday, speaking from the balcony over St. Peter's Square after delivering the traditional Angelus blessing. He told the crowd the nodule was contained and had been caught at a very early stage, and that his doctors had advised removing it.
Why it matters
The announcement landed hard among Catholics around the world, according to BBC reporting, in part because it came without warning and in part because of its timing. Leo XIV is due to travel to Latin America in early November, and the trip carries unusual weight: it includes a stop in Peru, where he served for years, first as a missionary and later as a bishop.
The Vatican has stressed that the Pope, generally regarded as being in good health, showed no signs of infection or illness. Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, told journalists on Tuesday that he was concerned, saying he had not expected anything of the kind. He described the news as coming like a bolt from the sky, but said the cardinals had been struck by the Pope's calm and were confident he would recover.
A crowd outside Gemelli, and a wave from a car window
Before the surgery, a large crowd gathered outside the hospital to greet the Pope, with some people waiting for several hours. BBC reported that they cheered and called out good wishes as he passed, and that he waved back and smiled through the rear window of his car.
Hospital staff met him at the steps. One of them told him, "I'm sorry," and the Pope responded with a smile and a shrug, according to the BBC account. Staff assured him they were there for him.
Some Catholics stayed on at the hospital grounds after he went inside. Gemelli has treated several popes and holds a large statue of John Paul II. One woman told the BBC that the Pope looked calm, so she felt calm too, though she added that illness is always unpleasant. She said she would wait there and pray.
Another person, Elsa, said she had been in St. Peter's Square when the Pope made his announcement and felt terrible hearing it. She said she was very surprised, explaining that when Leo XIV was elected she had taken him for a younger and healthier pontiff. She said it turns out he is vulnerable too, and that she hoped the matter was superficial and manageable, as he had told them.
What the surgery involved, and what the Church was told
The thoracic surgery team at Gemelli carried out the operation. The Pope's schedule has been cleared through October 20 to give him time to recover.
Nodules of this kind are fairly common and are not necessarily cancerous, but when a growth is removed it is typically examined for any sign of the disease.
Cardinal Kikuchi Tarcisio Isao of Tokyo wrote on social media that he had met with Leo XIV on Monday and said the pontiff did not seem physically unwell at all. He said the Pope had chosen to have the surgery as soon as possible because of the planned Latin America trip in early November, and that the Pope was very keen to keep to that plan.
Coverage of the Pope's diagnosis and operation was carried by several outlets, including the BBC, ABC, Diario AS, Cadena SER and El Confidencial.
What to watch next: whether the Vatican releases the results of tests on the removed nodule, and whether the November trip to South America goes ahead as scheduled.
