In Vatican City, the Holy See has announced that Pope Leo XIV is resting comfortably at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital following a successful operation to remove a lobe of his right lung after doctors diagnosed him with an early-stage form of lung cancer.
The 71-year-old pontiff underwent the scheduled procedure on Tuesday afternoon after routine medical check-ups uncovered a localized pulmonary nodule. According to a medical bulletin cited by Reuters, Tuesday’s surgery lasted approximately 90 minutes and concluded successfully without complications, confirming a diagnosis of pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer.
“The Pope has woken up normally and is resting in his hospital room,” the Vatican stated, noting that the growth had been caught during a preliminary phase.
The health update follows the pontiff’s unexpected announcement to the public on Sunday during his Angelus address in St. Peter’s Square, where he first revealed that medical examinations had detected a small nodule.
Following the procedure, the Vatican press office confirmed that the Pope’s recovery is expected to take about a week, with all scheduled papal audiences cancelled through October 20 as he undergoes post-operative rehabilitation.
–Reuters/ChannelAfrica–
