He was taken into surgery: Statement from the Vatican regarding the Pope's health condition

The Vatican issued a statement after Pope Leo XIV's surgery at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, the capital of Italy.

In the statement made by the Vatican Press Office, it was announced that the surgery was completed within the stipulated time and as planned, and said, "The surgery was completed successfully and the Pope returned to his room. Additional information will be given later."

IT WAS DETECTED DURING A ROUTINE HEALTH CHECK

The 71-year-old US-born leader of the Catholic Church underwent surgery today because doctors recently detected a nodule in a limited area of his lung.

In its statement last Sunday, the Vatican Press Office announced that the nodule, which it said was "detected at a very early stage and was limited to a certain area", was detected during a routine health check, not due to symptoms such as inflammation or infection.

This was the first health problem made public since the leader of the Catholic world was elected pope in May 2025. The Vatican said the Pope is expected to recover in about a week after the surgery.

SUPPORT TO THE POPE FROM ITALIAN LEADERS

Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni conveyed messages of support to the Pope. In his message, Mattarella said, "The Italian people are with you and offer you their love. In addition to the prayers of Catholics, you can count on the sincere wishes of countless people in Italy and around the world. I wish you to regain your health quickly and completely."

Prime Minister Meloni also expressed his support for the Pope before his surgery and said, "I am sure that the Italian people will also support and love him."

Pope Leo had no serious health problems that were previously disclosed to the public. His predecessor, Pope Francis, had recurring health problems in the last years of his life and died in 2025 at the age of 88 after being hospitalized several times.