Key Facts
—Who. Pope Leo XIV, 71, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, the first US-born pope.
—What. He will have surgery to remove a lung nodule that doctors found during recent medical checks.
—Where. Gemelli University Hospital in Rome; the pope announced it at the Angelus in St Peter’s Square.
—When. Announced on Sunday 11 October 2026; surgery in the first days of the week of 12 October, with about one week of recovery expected.
—Prediction markets. Argentina 97%, Peru 97%, Uruguay 94% for a papal visit in 2026 (Kalshi, 11 October 2026, 7:37 am ET).
—As of. 11 October 2026, 11:45 GMT.
Pope Leo XIV said on Sunday 11 October 2026 that he will have surgery in the coming days to remove a lung nodule. The announcement matters in the United States because he is the first American pope, born in Chicago.
What We Know
The pope spoke at the noon Angelus in St Peter’s Square in Rome. His planned November trip to Peru, Argentina and Uruguay, countries we cover closely, also draws attention.
He said doctors found a nodule on his lung during recent medical checks. He described it as detected “at a very early stage” and “well localized”.
CBS News quoted him as saying: “The doctors believe it’s best to take action, so, following their advice, I’ve decided to have surgery to remove it.” He thanked the faithful and asked for prayers.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, said the operation is scheduled for the first days of the coming week. That is the week of 12 October, and it will take place at Rome’s Gemelli University Hospital.
Bruni said the expected recovery after the operation is about one week. The Press Office did not give the exact day of the surgery.
Vatican News, the official Holy See portal, reported the announcement. Euronews and CBS News carried further details.
Pope Leo XIV is 71 and was born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago. He was elected in 2025 after the death of Pope Francis.
Before that he worked as a missionary and as a bishop in Chiclayo, Peru. We have covered preparations for his planned return there in our Chiclayo papal visit report.
CBS News reported that he plays tennis weekly and swims at Castel Gandolfo. No earlier health problems are known.
A lung nodule is a small dense spot seen on imaging. The American Lung Association definition cited by Euronews says most are benign, though some are not, which is why doctors often remove or biopsy them.
What Is Not Known
The Vatican has not said whether the nodule is benign or malignant. We therefore make no assumptions about a diagnosis or an outlook.
The exact day of the operation has not been announced, only the first days of the week of 12 October. The Holy See Press Office is the official source for updates.
It is not yet clear whether the November trip will change. No official change has been announced, and Vatican News did not address the trip.
CBS News reported that the trip is scheduled for 6 to 17 November. It said the pope indicated he plans to proceed, but the impact is unclear.
What It Means for US Readers and Travelers
Pope Leo XIV is the first pope born in the United States. That makes news about his health of particular interest to American readers.
His November itinerary covers Peru, Argentina and Uruguay. Our earlier coverage of the Peru leg is in our Peru visit guide and our Lima and Cusco report.
Our reports on the other two countries are in our Argentina visit coverage and our Uruguay coverage. No official change to the trip has been announced.
Anyone planning to attend or travel for the visit should follow the Holy See Press Office for official updates. We will report any change as soon as it is confirmed.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Kalshi, the market “What countries will Pope Leo visit in 2026?” had 214,548 contracts traded across its country markets as of 11 October 2026, 11:37 UTC. The last trades were Argentina 97%, Peru 97% and Uruguay 94% (Kalshi market).
These prices are bets, not polls. Kalshi is regulated in the US by the CFTC, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
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.
The pope’s health is a human story first, and no market can say how an operation will go. The prices above relate only to where he is expected to travel in 2026.
Readers should watch for the Holy See Press Office statement giving the day of surgery. A further statement would be the place to look for any word on the November schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Pope Leo XIV announce?
At the Angelus on Sunday 11 October 2026, he announced that he will have surgery in the coming days to remove a nodule on his lung. Doctors found it during recent medical checks.
When and where will the surgery take place?
The Holy See Press Office said it is scheduled for the first days of the week of 12 October at Rome’s Gemelli University Hospital. Recovery is expected to take about one week.
Is the lung nodule cancer?
The Vatican has not said whether the nodule is benign or malignant. The pope said it was detected “at a very early stage” and is “well localized”.
Will the November trip to Peru, Argentina and Uruguay go ahead?
No official change has been announced. CBS News reported that the pope indicated he plans to proceed, though the impact is unclear.
Sources
Vatican News · Holy See Press Office (via Vatican News) · Euronews · CBS News · 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