# Pope Leo XIV to have lung surgery in coming days

> The 71-year-old pontiff announced Sunday that doctors found a nodule on his lung and he will undergo surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital early this week.
- Title: Pope Leo XIV to have lung surgery in coming days · ABC News
- Summary: The 71-year-old pontiff announced Sunday that doctors found a nodule on his lung and he will undergo surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital early this week. Pope…
- Keywords: pope leo xiv, vatican, lung surgery, gemelli hospital, rome, health, news, Pope, Leo, XIV, lung, surgery
- Source: ABC News — https://abcnews.com/International/pope-leo-undergo-surgery-after-nodule-discovered-lung/story?id=137170597
- Author: ABC News
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: pope leo xiv, vatican, lung surgery, gemelli hospital, rome, health, news
## Pope announces lung nodule discovery
Pope Leo XIV, seventy-one, said on Sunday that doctors found a circumscribed nodule in his lung during recent check-ups. The nodule was found in a very initial phase and well localized.

> Recently during some check ups doctors found a circumscribed nodule in my lung.
## Surgery scheduled for early this week
The Vatican press office said the procedure is scheduled for early this week at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, the primary medical facility commonly used by popes. The expected postoperative hospital stay is about one week.
## Leo is first American pope
Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native and the first American pope, was previously Cardinal Robert Prevost. He was elected the church's two hundred sixty-seventh pontiff in May two thousand twenty-five.
## Pope plans to continue South American trip
Before announcing the surgery, Pope Leo thanked a Peruvian Catholic group for prayers for his apostolic visit to Peru. He is officially scheduled to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru between November sixth and seventeenth.
## Italian PM expresses solidarity with pontiff
Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, said in a statement that she and her government were expressing solidarity with Pope Leo as he faces the ordeal ahead.

> The serenity and calm with which he spoke about it during today's Angelus are a source of comfort to us.
## Key takeaway

Pope Leo XIV announced on October eleventh that he will undergo surgery in the coming days after doctors discovered a nodule on his lung during routine check-ups.