Pope Leo announces that he will undergo lung surgery

Pope Leo XIV announced that he will undergo surgery to remove a local node in the lung.

“During some tests, doctors discovered a localized nodule in my lungs,” the 71-year-old Pope told crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square to perform the Angelus prayer on Sunday.

He added: "It was discovered at a very early stage, and it is clearly defined. The doctors believe that surgical intervention is recommended, so, based on their advice, I decided to undergo surgery to remove it."

Lung nodules are small masses of dense tissue found in the lung, and most of them are non-cancerous.

Pope Leo said that the surgery is scheduled "in the coming days," while a Vatican spokesman explained that the medical procedure is scheduled for early next week, and that the Pope will need to stay in the hospital for a week to recover.

Leo is considered relatively young in age for the position of pope, and is generally considered to be in good health, as he plays tennis and maintains physical activity.

Leo XIV is preparing to make an important visit to Latin America from November 6 to 17, where he is scheduled to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.

The Pope has a busy daily schedule of meetings and public events, although he devotes Tuesday to rest at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.