Pope Leo XIV was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday for surgery to remove a small growth from his lung, as well-wishers gathered outside to offer their prayers and support.
Footage shows the pontiff arriving at the hospital, where supporters and journalists gathered near the entrance, beneath a towering statue of St John Paul II.
“We are all with him, we are close to him in our thoughts, but above all in our prayers,” a local said.
“We truly wish from the bottom of our hearts that things go well, that he can recover soon,” another added.
During his Sunday Angelus prayer, Pope Leo revealed that doctors had discovered a small nodule on his lung during a routine medical check-up. He said it had been detected at a very early stage and was well-contained.
The operation is considered low risk, although doctors have yet to establish whether the growth is cancerous.
According to the Vatican, the pontiff is expected to spend around a week recovering in hospital, with all his scheduled audiences cancelled until 20 October.
Gemelli Hospital has treated several popes, including Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, who spent weeks there before his death in April 2025.
Pope Leo is also due to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November, with the trip still scheduled to go ahead.
Source: Viory
