Pope Leo, the first pontiff born in the United States, is undergoing surgery to remove a small growth found on one of his lungs at Rome's Gemelli hospital on Oct. 13, the Vatican said.
The nodule was found during a routine health check, theVatican press office told journalists on Oct. 12 after Leo, 71, was seen leaving the Vatican in a convoy of vehicles heading for the hospital.
According to the Holy See Press Office, the operation will be carried out by the hospital’s thoracic surgery team, led by Professor Stefano Margaritora. An update is expected in the evening.
Here's what to know about Pope Leo's medical condition and upcoming schedule:
Why is Pope Leo having surgery?
Pope Leo is undergoing surgery after doctors
discovered a small nodule on one of his lungs during a recent medical checkup. The Vatican has not disclosed whether the growth is cancerous.
The Vatican said the procedure will take place at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where the 71-year-old pontiff is expected to spend about a week recovering. The surgery marks the first major health issue of Leo's 17-month papacy.
What is a lung nodule?
A lung nodule is a small growth or lesion in the lung. Such nodules are relatively common and can be benign.
According to the American Thoracic Society, fewer than 5% of lung nodules overall turn out to be cancerous, although risk varies depending on factors such as age, size and smoking history.
Dr. Federico Venuto, chief of thoracic surgery at Rome's Policlinico Umberto I hospital, said surgeries 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.
How long will Pope Leo be out of public view?
The Vatican expects Leo's recovery to take about a week.
All of the pope's public events have been canceled through Oct. 20 while he recuperates.
Will Pope Leo's South America trip still happen?
For now, yes.
Leo is scheduled to travel to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from Nov. 6-17. Before entering the hospital, he said he plans to go ahead with the trip, though the Vatican could reassess those plans depending on his recovery.
Who runs the Vatican when a pope is sick?
Unlike many political leaders, a pope does not have a vice president or deputy who automatically assumes authority during an illness.
The Vatican's day-to-day operations continue, but decisions requiring papal approval are generally postponed until the pope is able to act, according to Reuters
Who is Pope Leo?
Leo was elected pope in May 2025 following the death of Pope Francis.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected the new pope in May 2025 under the papal name Pope Leo XIV, making him the first pope from the U.S.
He was born in Chicago and attended Villanova University and Catholic Theological Union in Chicago before earning a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
At 71, he is considered relatively young by papal standards and has maintained a demanding schedule since taking office. He is known as a sports fan, particularly of tennis, and has not previously been known to have significant health problems.
As pope, Leo serves as the spiritual leader of the world's roughly 1.4 billion Catholics and oversees the global Roman Catholic Church.
The bottom line
Pope Leo's surgery is the first serious health test of his papacy. Vatican officials say the lung nodule was detected early and expect the pope to return to work after about a week of recovery, with his planned South America trip still on the calendar.
Contributors: Jay Stahl, USA TODAY and Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pope Leo's lung surgery: What we know
