Pope Leo undergoes successful lung surgery
October 13, 2026
Pope Leo XIV successfully underwent surgery today at Gemelli Hospital to remove a lung nodule, the Holy See Press Office said in a statement issued this evening.
“The surgery was completed successfully, within the expected timeframe and as planned, and the Holy Father has returned to his room,” according to the statement. “Further information will follow.”
Pope Leo arrived at the hospital at 1:07 this afternoon, rather than in the morning, as the Vatican had previously announced. Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar general of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome, led a Rosary for the Pontiff this evening in the hospital chapel.
Dr. Luigi Carbone, the Pope’s personal physician, and Professor Stefano Margaritora, the lead surgeon, issued the following statement:
The Holy Father underwent thoracic surgery as scheduled. To ensure a radical procedure, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique. The intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected by the pre-operative tests.
The Holy Father was in the operating theatre for approximately three hours; the operation itself lasted about ninety minutes. The operation was successful and there were no complications. Following the operation, the Pope woke up normally and, after a brief period of observation, returned to his room on the tenth floor.
The surgical team was led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, assisted by Professor Elisa Meacci, Dr Maria Teresa Congedo and Dr Leonardo Petracca Caravella. The anaesthesia team consisted of Professor Massimo Antonelli, Dr Giovanni Punzo and Dr Giuseppe Bello.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, said yesterday that the nodule was discovered during routine examinations and that the Pope’s hospital stay will last a week.The Prefecture of the Pontifical Household also announced the cancellation of papal audiences until October 20.
The Pontiff revealed on October 11 that “during some recent medical examinations, the doctors found a small, localized nodule in my lung.”
“It was detected at a very early stage and is well-localized,” Pope Leo said to pilgrims who had gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Sunday Angelus address. “The doctors believe that it is best to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it.”
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Further information:
- Pope Leo XIV undergoes successful lung surgery (Vatican News, 10/13/26)
- Pope Leo XIV admitted to Gemelli Hospital ahead of surgery (Vatican News, 10/13/26)
- Pope Leo enters hospital today for surgery (CWN, 10/13/26)
- Holy See Press Office Press Release (Holy See Press Office, 10/13/26)
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