Pope Leo XIV, 71, announced in his Angelus address in St Peter's Square that he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a lung nodule detected "at a very early stage" and described as "very localised." He said doctors advised intervention and he accepted their recommendation. The Vatican press office said expected recovery from the operation would be around one week. Leo, born in Chicago and elected on May 8, 2025, became the first US pope last year following the death of his predecessor, Pope Francis, on April 21, 2025. The pope has been publicly active on issues from conflict to artificial intelligence since his election.
