Pope Leo recovering after ‘successful’ surgery to remove growth on his lung

Pope Leo XIV Returns to Hospital Room After Lung Procedure

Sandego.net – Pope Leo XIV is recovering in a Rome hospital after doctors removed a small growth from his lung in an operation the Vatican described as successful. The procedure took place Tuesday afternoon at Agostino Gemelli University Policlinic, the medical center in northwest Rome that has long treated popes.

The Vatican said the surgery was completed as planned and that the 71-year-old pontiff had returned to his room. It is the first hospital admission of Leo’s pontificate.

Leo told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday that physicians had found a nodule on his lung and advised its removal. He said it had been identified at a very early stage and was contained. A lung nodule is an area of dense tissue and can often be benign, though its medical significance depends on further examination.

Public schedule paused during recovery

All of the pope’s public engagements have been canceled through October 20 as he recuperates. A Vatican spokesman said before the operation that about a week of recovery would be needed.

Dr. Matthew Triplette, medical director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program and a specialist in pulmonary and critical care medicine, said operations to remove a nodule are commonly minimally invasive and generally carry a low complication rate. Patients often remain in the hospital for several days before completing recovery at home.

The pope had maintained a full schedule as recently as Monday. He held consecutive morning meetings before taking part in a Vatican gathering of bishops and other church leaders. The growth was found during routine testing, and Leo is not known to have underlying health conditions. He has remained active through tennis and swimming.

A hospital with a papal history

Gemelli has a dedicated papal suite on its 10th floor. Pope John Paul II, who was treated there on multiple occasions, famously called it “Vatican three,” a reference to St. Peter’s as Vatican one and the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo as Vatican two.

Pope Francis also spent an extended period at the hospital early last year while receiving treatment for pneumonia. The latest admission therefore continues Gemelli’s unusual role as a medical setting closely tied to the modern papacy.

Although the pope is hospitalized, ordinary Vatican business continues under the officials who manage daily operations. Matters requiring Leo’s personal signature, however, must wait until he is able to address them. The Catholic Church has no fixed succession procedure for a period in which a pope is incapacitated. Even during surgery or unconsciousness, a pope retains full papal authority.

Previous pontiffs have continued to issue decisions and statements while hospitalized. That history underscores the distinction between the pope’s central authority and the administrative work carried out each day by the Vatican’s established offices.

Prayers and concern from church leaders

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said clergy across the Catholic world were praying for Leo’s health. He said the pope’s calm public announcement of the planned procedure had made a strong impression.

“We were all struck by the serenity with which the Pope announced this procedure,” Parolin said. “We hope he can resolve this issue as soon as possible. We are confident, but naturally, we are supporting him with our prayers.”

Parolin said he had seen Leo on Monday evening and described the need for surgery as unexpected. Their conversation, he said, had been calm, even as the diagnosis brought understandable concern.

“We spoke very calmly,” he said. “Am I worried? Yes, because I certainly didn’t expect something like this.”

He emphasized that the early discovery offered reason for hope.

“It is something that, thank God, was detected immediately,” Parolin continued. “And normally, when these things are caught in time, they can be resolved.”

Support from pilgrims and visitors

News of the operation prompted messages of support from around the world, including from people visiting Rome. For many Catholics, the pope’s hospitalization is both a personal concern and a moment of shared prayer, particularly as public appearances pause during his recovery.

Paul Kavulich, visiting the Italian capital on a pilgrimage with his daughter, said he was thinking of the pope’s procedure. Kavulich is from Chicago, Leo’s hometown and the city closely associated with the first American pope.

“We’re just hoping that his procedure is going to go well,” Kavulich said. “And he’s got God with him – no doubt about that.”

The next days will focus on rest and medical observation at Gemelli. Vatican operations will proceed, while the pope’s public calendar remains suspended until October 20 and church officials await further updates on his recovery.