Pope Leo XIV said on Sunday that he will have an operation in the coming days to remove a nodule from his lung, less than a month before he is due to visit Argentina.
"During recent medical examinations, the doctors found a small, localized nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is well-localized," the 71-year-old pontiff told the crowd in St. Peter's Square after the Sunday Angelus prayer. "The doctors believe that it is best to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it."
Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, told reporters the operation is scheduled for the first days of the week at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, the hospital where popes are traditionally treated. He put the expected recovery at about one week.
The pope, who is 71, is due in Argentina from Nov. 8 to 11, with stops in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, the country's second-largest city, and Luján, home of the national basilica. The Argentine leg is part of a Nov. 6-17 tour that also takes in Uruguay and Peru. Our guide to the visit covers the holidays, road closures and events.
Milei wrote on X that "all of Argentina accompanies His Holiness with affection and prayer, wishing him a swift and complete recovery."
The Argentine Bishops' Conference called on the faithful across the country to pray for the pope. "We ask the Lord to grant him strength and peace at this time, that the operation goes well and that he may reach a swift and full recovery," the bishops said in a statement, adding that the serenity with which he spoke during the Angelus "comforts us."
The Vatican's published itinerary for the tour runs Nov. 6 to 17, through Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.
