Pope Leo announces he will undergo surgery to remove lung node

Pope Leo XIV has announced he will undergo surgery to remove a lung nodule that was discovered during recent health checks. The 71-year-old pope made the announcement to those gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Angelus prayer on Sunday. “It was detected at a very early stage and is well-defined. The doctors deem it advisable to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it.” A lung nodule is a small mass of dense tissue on the lung and most are non-cancerous. But risks can rise with factors like age. The Vatican said that the procedure was scheduled for early next week and that he would need a week in hospital to recover.