Pope Leo’s Lung Operation ‘Successfully Completed’ — Vatican
The surgery marks the 71-year-old Leo's first hospitalisation since he became head of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025. Vatican officials who saw the pope on Monday said he appeared relaxed about the hospital stay.…
Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, was elected head of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025, succeeding Pope Francis. His health and physical stamina have drawn close attention from Vatican watchers and the world's roughly 1.4 billion Catholics, given the demanding travel and public schedule the papacy entails, as well as the precedent set by Francis's own prolonged hospitalisations in his final years.
This surgery, to remove a lung nodule found during a routine check-up, is being reported as Leo's first hospitalisation since taking office. Coverage across outlets agrees the Vatican has described the procedure as successful and completed as planned, with the pope said to be in good spirits beforehand. Details such as the nodule's nature, recovery timeline, and when Leo is expected to resume public duties have not yet been disclosed.