Pope Leo XIV, 71, had the lower lobe of his right lung removed at Agostino Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Tuesday 13 October 2026. The Vatican said the operation confirmed a lung adenocarcinoma, a common form of lung cancer that starts in gland-like cells.
Leo, elected in May 2025, is the first US-born pope, and his scheduled trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru runs from 6 to 17 November 2026. No change to that trip had been announced in the sources we reviewed.
Key Facts
—Who. Pope Leo XIV, 71, the first US-born pope.
—What. Lung cancer surgery that confirmed an adenocarcinoma; the lower lobe of the right lung was removed.
—Where. Agostino Gemelli Hospital, Rome.
—When. Tuesday 13 October 2026; the operation lasted about 90 minutes.
—Outlook. About one week of hospital recovery expected; papal audiences cancelled through 20 October.
—Trip. Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, 6 to 17 November 2026; no change announced.
—Prediction markets. Kalshi last-traded prices for a papal visit in 2026: Peru 89%, Uruguay 87%, Argentina 83%. These are bets, not polls.
—As of. 13 October 2026, 5:07 pm ET (21:07 GMT).
The Vatican called the intervention a success with no complications, as Vatican News and the Colombian outlets La República, El Espectador, El Tiempo and Semana reported. The pope announced the planned surgery at the Angelus on Sunday 11 October, as covered in our earlier report.
What We Know
The pope arrived at the hospital shortly after 13:00 Rome time on Tuesday. The thoracic surgical team was led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, according to El Tiempo and El Espectador.
The Vatican said tests before surgery had pointed to a lung adenocarcinoma and that the operation confirmed it. Surgeons removed the lower lobe of the right lung.
A lobe is one of the main sections of a lung, and the right lung has three. The lower lobe is the bottom section.
The operation lasted about 90 minutes. The Vatican described it as a success with no complications.
About one week of recovery in hospital is expected. All papal audiences are cancelled through 20 October, El Tiempo and Semana reported.
The Angelus is a short prayer that the pope leads from St Peter’s Square on Sundays. On 11 October he told the faithful that a localized nodule, found at a very early stage, would be removed.
What Is Not Known
More tests are under way to determine whether the cancer spread beyond the removed lobe, according to a Vatican source cited by El Espectador. That result is not yet known.
The sources we read do not say whether further treatment will be needed. They also give no timetable beyond the expected week in hospital.
Whether the November trip will change is also unknown. No change had been announced in the sources we read.
What It Means for Travelers and US Readers
The scheduled trip covers Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from 6 to 17 November 2026. Gestión reported that the pope is due in Peru on 11 November, with stops in Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa.
Our background is in coverage of the pope’s November visit to Peru and in our Peru visit report. For the two best-known stops, see our guide to Lima and Cusco.
Leo is the first US-born pope, so the news carries particular weight for American Catholics and for US pilgrims planning to visit Rome. Audiences through 20 October are cancelled.
Travellers with bookings should follow official announcements from the Vatican and local organisers. Nothing in the sources we read points to a change at this stage.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Kalshi, a market regulated in the US by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), traders bet on country-by-country markets for which countries Pope Leo will visit in 2026. As of 13 October 2026, 5:07 pm ET, the last traded prices were Peru 89%, Uruguay 87% and Argentina 83%.
The series, titled “What countries will Pope Leo visit in 2026?”, had 216,979 contracts traded across the countries. These prices are bets, not polls, they say nothing about his health, and they are not a statement from the Vatican.
Prices move as news arrives, so these figures are a snapshot rather than a forecast. They may differ by the time you read this.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Pope Leo XIV?
The pope had surgery at Agostino Gemelli Hospital in Rome on 13 October 2026, and the Vatican said it confirmed a lung adenocarcinoma. Surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung, and the Vatican reported no complications.
Is the pope’s November trip still planned?
The trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru is scheduled for 6 to 17 November 2026, and no change had been announced in the sources we read. Whether it will change is not yet known.
Has the cancer spread?
That is not yet known. Further pathology tests are under way to determine whether the cancer spread beyond the removed lobe.
How long will the pope stay in hospital?
About one week of recovery in hospital is expected. All papal audiences are cancelled through 20 October.
Sources
The Vatican statement was reported by Vatican News, La República, El Espectador, El Tiempo and Semana. Vatican News · La República · El Espectador · El Tiempo · Semana · Gestión · Kalshi
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief