Pope Leo XIV announced he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a nodule from his lung.

What it means

Pope Leo XIV, relatively young at 71, announced he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a small, localized nodule found in his lung during a routine check-up. The Vatican described it as being at a very early stage, making this his first major public health event since his papacy began.

Accuracy & sourcesSourced

The claim is well-founded, originating from Pope Leo's own public statement and confirmed by the official Vatican news service. Major outlets (BBC, Guardian, ABC) all report the same details, lending high credibility to the announcement.

How new

Genuinely new: the pope's announcement came within the last 24 hours (October 11–12, 2026), and the surgery is expected imminently.

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• Sky News — first to publish