Pope Leo XIV to have surgery to remove lung nodule; Villanova medal ceremony uncertain

Pope Leo XIV announced Sunday that doctors will operate on him this week to take out a small nodule discovered in his lung, a development that leaves in doubt a Villanova University award event he was set to lead in Rome on Tuesday.

The 71-year-old, who graduated from Villanova and became the first U.S.-born pope last year, shared the news during his weekly noon remarks in St. Peter's Square, The Philadelphia Inquirer and 6abc Action News both reported. He told the crowd the growth turned up during recent checkups and was small and contained. Speaking in Italian, he said it was "detected at a very early stage," 6abc reported.

Leo said he accepted his doctors' recommendation to remove it. According to 6abc, the Vatican later said the operation would occur in the first days of the week. Both outlets said Rome's Gemelli Hospital is the expected site; 6abc noted the hospital keeps a special apartment reserved for popes. Vatican officials told the Inquirer he will probably need to stay in the hospital during roughly a week of recovery.

"Thank you for your spiritual closeness, and I entrust myself to your prayers," Leo told those gathered, according to the Inquirer.

The Inquirer reported uncertainty over whether Leo can still hand out the first Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal, which Villanova plans to present Tuesday during a global conference being held in Rome. The honoree is Cardinal Michael Czerny, founder of an AIDS network. Villanova officials told the paper the medal was established this year, drawing partly on the pope's emphasis on helping poor and vulnerable people.

Reports diverged on Leo's Nov. 6-17 visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. Vatican officials told the Inquirer they do not expect the operation to disrupt it. 6abc said any impact remained unclear, while noting the pope said earlier Sunday that he intended to make the trip.

The Vatican offered no additional information about the nodule, according to the Inquirer. The paper, citing the American Cancer Society, said such nodules frequently produce no symptoms, are commonly spotted during screenings for other issues, and prove to be cancer in under 5% of cases.

Neither outlet reported any prior serious health issues for Leo. 6abc said he plays tennis each week and swims at the Castel Gandolfo summer residence, and the Inquirer said his apartment includes a home gym.

Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor, died of a stroke in April 2025 following an extended hospital stay for respiratory illness, 6abc reported. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni sent support on behalf of herself and her government and said in a statement she found the pope's calm tone reassuring, according to 6abc.

Compiled by True News from reporting by The Philadelphia Inquirer and 6abc Action News. Each outlet's original story is linked below.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/39