VATICAN CITY, Italy — Pope Leo XIV has cancelled all his audiences through October 20 ahead of surgery to remove a small, localised nodule in his lung at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.
The Pope is expected to be admitted to the hospital late Tuesday morning, October 13, with his medical team anticipating a hospital stay of approximately one week following the operation.
The procedure follows routine medical examinations during which the nodule was detected at an early stage. Pope Leo announced the planned surgery during Sunday’s Angelus, thanking the faithful for their spiritual support and prayers.
Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, confirmed the hospitalisation arrangements on Monday, saying the examinations were routine.
The impending operation has also prompted changes to the Pope’s participation in a Vatican meeting marking the 10th anniversary of Amoris laetitia, the apostolic exhortation on love in the family published by his predecessor, Pope Francis.
Pope Leo attended all his scheduled audiences on Monday morning but was expected to miss the afternoon session of the meeting, held in the Paul VI Hall.
He will also not preside over the Mass scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, in St Peter’s Square, bringing together meeting participants, including heads of Eastern Churches, presidents of bishops’ conferences, married couples and experts.
The celebration will instead be led by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and Dean of the College of Cardinals.
Jesuit Father Giacomo Costa, who oversees the meeting’s methodology and serves as a consultor to the General Secretariat of the Synod, said participants would pray for the Pope’s recovery and for families during the Mass.
“During the Mass, we will pray especially for the Holy Father’s health, as well as for families,” Costa said.
The Pope’s hospitalisation has also affected plans for the publication of a synthesis report outlining the meeting’s conclusions.
According to Costa, Pope Leo had expressed a desire to hear participants’ findings and offer his reflections before the report was released. He subsequently requested that publication be postponed to allow him to review the document and other meeting materials after leaving hospital.
Costa welcomed the Pope’s decision, saying it reflected his desire to listen to participants and offer guidance that would support the wider Church.
Meanwhile, the Pope has received messages of support from Churches and political leaders across all five continents ahead of the operation, with the faithful continuing to offer prayers for his recovery.
