Pope Leo enters Rome hospital for surgery to remove lung nodule
What's next: The Vatican said the 71-year-old pontiff is due to have the operation Tuesday and is expected to recover in about a week.
Pope Leo XIV was admitted Tuesday to Rome's Agostino Gemelli University Hospital for surgery to remove a lung nodule, the Vatican said, after the pontiff disclosed over the weekend that doctors had found a small, well-localized growth at an early stage. The operation is to be carried out by the thoracic surgery team led by Professor Stefano Margaritora. Leo, 71, kept a full schedule on Monday before leaving the Vatican. The Vatican has said the pope's recovery should take about a week. Wednesday's Mass in St. Peter's Square is now set to be led by Cardinal Luis Tagle, and it remains unclear whether Leo's planned Nov. 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru will be affected.