In short
- Pope Leo XIV, 71, was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma on Tuesday.
- The diagnosis followed a 90-minute operation to remove the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung.
- Pope Leo XIV announced on Sunday that doctors had discovered a nodule.
- A November trip to South America, including Peru, the country the pope called home for more than 20 years, may be in doubt.
- Pope Leo XIV is a member of the Order of St Augustine and plays tennis weekly.
Pope Leo XIV, 71, was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma on Tuesday, after a 90-minute operation to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. The diagnosis came two days after the pope said doctors had found a nodule, and it has left Catholics asking what treatment he will need and whether it will change the pace of his papacy.
What do we know about the diagnosis?
The pope said on Sunday that a nodule had been found. The diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma followed 90 minutes of surgery on Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. The report did not give the stage of the disease, the treatment planned or a prognosis. It noted that the Vatican has become far more open about papal health than in the past, but that this did not prepare Catholics for the news. Separate coverage reported that the pope was walking and eating normally after lung surgery.
What does the diagnosis mean for his November trip?
Pope Leo XIV was due to travel to South America in November, with stops that included Peru, the country he called home for more than 20 years. The report said the trip may be in doubt, citing the dangers of air travel soon after lung surgery and the high altitude of some of the stops involved.
How has Pope Leo XIV’s papacy been received?
A member of the Order of St Augustine, the pope places importance on good habits, including health and fitness, and plays tennis weekly. The report described his papacy as comparatively measured, and said he had become a moral voice on war, the dignity of migrants and the dangers of AI. It added that progressive and traditionalist Catholics alike often describe him as reflecting their own views. His predecessor, Francis, wrote that he had begun his papacy expecting only a few years in the role.
What is still unknown?
The report said there were no details yet about what happens now, and that speculation had begun over whether the diagnosis would shift the pace at which the pope implements changes he considers necessary. It noted that few signs had emerged before Sunday that his health was at imminent risk. Separate coverage has detailed the pope’s lung cancer surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.
Frequently asked questions
What is Pope Leo XIV’s diagnosis?
Pope Leo XIV, 71, was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma on Tuesday, after a 90-minute operation to remove the lower lobe of his right lung. He had announced on Sunday that doctors found a nodule.
Will Pope Leo XIV still travel to South America in November?
The trip, which included a stop in Peru, may be in doubt because of the risks of air travel soon after lung surgery and the high altitude of some of the stops involved, according to the report.
What has not been disclosed about the pope’s condition?
The report gave no stage for the disease, no treatment plan and no prognosis, and said there were no details yet about what happens next.
What is Pope Leo XIV known for in his papacy so far?
The report describes a comparatively measured papacy, with the pope speaking out against war, in support of the dignity of migrants and on the dangers of AI.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. City Skyline — Joe deSousa / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)
