Pope Leo admitted to Rome hospital for lung surgery

Vatican says recovery is expected to take about a week, all public events of Pope Leo cancelled until October 20

Pope Leo will ‌have surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon to remove a small growth on one of his lungs, in the first major health issue of his 17-month tenure.

Leo, 71, said on Sunday that the growth, a small nodule, was found during a recent check-up and was "well-contained" and spotted early.

The Vatican confirmed the timing of the surgery after Leo was seen heading into ​Rome in a convoy of vehicles driving toward Gemelli Hospital, about nine kilometres ⁠north of the Vatican.

Read: Pope Leo to be operated in 'coming days'

The pope waved from a black SUV as he left the Vatican.

NOW: Pope Leo XIV arrives at Gemelli Hospital ahead of his lung operation, as a cheering crowd greets him outside.

The pope smiled and gave a brief wave as he stepped out of his car before greeting doctors.

Pope Leo is set to undergo surgery later in the day to remove a lung… pic.twitter.com/mnwNcGEJhe

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Upon arrival at the hospital, ​Leo shook hands with several officials, walked in front of a waiting crowd of well-wishers, some of whom shouted 'Auguri' (best ​wishes), and headed in via the main entrance.

The Vatican has said his recovery is expected to take about a week. All his public events have been cancelled until October 20.

Relatively young Pope

Leo, elected by the world's cardinals in May 2025, is relatively ​young for a Church leader. He enjoys sports, including tennis, and is not known to be a smoker ​or to have had health issues previously.

A nodule on the lung is a small, localised lesion that can be benign. The American ‌Thoracic ⁠Society says fewer than 5% of lung nodules overall prove cancerous, although risk rises with age, size, and other factors such as smoking.

Dr Federico Venuto, chief of thoracic surgery at Rome's Policlinico Umberto I Hospital, said procedures to remove lung nodules are usually minimally invasive, and can sometimes involve use of a thin camera tube called a thoracoscope.

"The complication ​rate is extremely low," he ​told Reuters.

South American trip

The ⁠late Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor, was hospitalised several times as he grew frail in his later years. He died aged 88 in April 2025.

Leo, who spoke in a firm, clear voice ​at his only public event on Monday, keeps a very busy schedule. He is ​due to make ⁠an 11-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from November 6 to 17.

In the same address on Sunday, when the pope announced his need for surgery, he said he would go ahead with the trip.

The pope is the ultimate earthly authority for the ⁠world's 1.4 billion ​Catholics and does not have a deputy who steps in when ​he is sick. When a pope is incapacitated, the business of the Vatican's vast bureaucracy carries on as usual, holding off on any decisions ​that require papal approval.