Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery to remove a lower lobe of his right lung on Tuesday at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where doctors discovered lung adenocarcinoma. The operation proceeded without complications and was declared successful by the Vatican, but the diagnosis has prompted reflection among senior church officials about assumptions regarding the pontiff's wellbeing.
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican's foreign minister since 2014, told BBC News that the discovery of the Pope's ill health represents "a bit of a game changer" for the church. Speaking to Radio 4's The Sunday Programme, scheduled to broadcast this weekend, the British-born diplomat reflected on how the church may have grown complacent about the 71-year-old's apparent vigour.
The operation lasted approximately 90 minutes, though the Pope remained in the operating room for around three hours, according to Vatican News. Surgeons employed a video-assisted technique to perform the procedure. The Vatican confirmed that the cancer diagnosis had been suspected before surgery and was confirmed through examination of tissue during the operation.
What prompted the surgery?
Pope Leo himself announced the news of his operation during his weekly Sunday prayers, telling the crowd in St Peter's Square that doctors had found a nodule on his lung. Nodules are quite common and not necessarily cancerous, but after examination the medical team confirmed it was malignant, as anticipated by pre-operative tests.
How does this compare to previous papal health disclosures?
The Vatican's decision to publicly disclose the diagnosis marks a significant shift toward greater transparency about papal health compared with predecessors, according to DW. Adenocarcinoma, the type of cancer diagnosed in Pope Leo, is the most common subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer and accounts for roughly 40 per cent of lung cancer cases, according to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America.
What did the Vatican official say about the implications?
Archbishop Gallagher reflected on the contrast between Pope Leo's apparent health and the reality now revealed.
It's in some ways I think going to be a bit of a game changer after having the latter years of Pope Francis when he was in the wheelchair. And Pope Leo comes along and he's sporty and he seems to be in excellent health, and now we're told that he's not in excellent health and things have got to be sorted out.
The Archbishop suggested that church figures may have assumed the Pope was exempt from the vulnerabilities and ageing processes that affect others.
I think we were maybe taking him a little bit for granted.He expressed concern about how the condition was discovered, saying
I am concerned. I think we've got to ask the question: how was it discovered? What happened?
However, Gallagher expressed optimism about the Pope's recovery prospects.
But lots of us have been through similar experiences at different times in our lives, and we've got through them, and so we hope it's going to be the same case with Pope Leo.
How is the Pope's recovery progressing?
By Thursday, 15 October, Pope Leo had resumed work activities while recovering in hospital, the Vatican press office reported. Post-operative blood tests and a chest X-ray came back within the normal range for the procedure; he was also receiving respiratory physiotherapy, eating regularly and walking around his room, according to ABC News.
The Vatican stated that the Pope was showing steady improvement in hospital and was expected to lead Sunday prayers. The Angelus prayer is traditionally recited at the Vatican overlooking crowds in St Peter's Square but has sometimes been given from a hospital window by previous popes when necessary. The Vatican stressed that the Pope had shown no symptoms of infection or illness prior to the procedure.
No date has been given for Pope Leo's hospital discharge, but recovery was expected to take around a week from the time of surgery.
What are the Pope's upcoming plans?
Archbishop Gallagher, who is from Liverpool, said he expected the Pope to visit the United Kingdom at some point.
We have exchanged a little bit. He's just beginning to think about what he might do in 2027, but it's still very much at the examining the possibilities (stage).
The Archbishop suggested that the Pope would
bring a spirit of renewed hopeto such visits, recalling the rapturous welcome the pontiff received in France and Spain earlier in the year. However, he cautioned that
these things do take quite a lot of planning, and so you don't just do it overnight.
The Vatican had cancelled the Pope's engagements through 20 October. A planned South America trip scheduled for November remained possible, though its status was uncertain as of the time of reporting.
Key Facts
- Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery on Tuesday to remove a lower lobe of his right lung after doctors discovered a nodule that was confirmed to be lung adenocarcinoma.
- The operation, performed using video-assisted technique, lasted approximately 90 minutes and proceeded without complications.
- The Vatican's public disclosure of the cancer diagnosis represents a shift toward greater transparency about papal health compared with previous pontiffs.
- By mid-week, the Pope had resumed work activities in hospital and was receiving physiotherapy, with blood tests and imaging showing normal results.
- A planned South America trip in November may proceed, while discussions about a potential 2027 visit to the United Kingdom are in early stages.
