On Oct. 13, Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung after doctors confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, the Vatican announced.
“The Holy Father underwent thoracic surgery as scheduled. To ensure the radical removal of the tumor, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique. An intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected from preoperative tests,” the Holy See Press Office said in a statement concerning the operation performed at Romeʼs Agostino Gemelli University Hospital.
Following this announcement, Bishop Alberto Rojas, while on a pilgrimage in Greece, shared his message regarding the Holy Father, asking the local Catholics to unite in prayer for him.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we have received the distressing news that Pope Leo XIV had a cancerous nodule removed from his right lung yesterday (Oct. 13). Let us together lift up our prayers to God for the healing of our Holy Father. May the Holy Spirit guide the doctors and nurses who are providing his care and advising him in his treatment. As Bishop Barnes and I continue our pilgrimage to the holy sites of St. Paul’s evangelization journey in Greece, we are praying faithfully for the Pope.
A serious illness for our loved ones and important people in our lives is never welcome news. Yet, we remain a Church that believes in the hope of the Resurrection and God’s providence. Remember these important truths in your prayers and thoughts of Pope Leo, the Vicar of Christ, who already has shown himself to be a light of peace in the darkness and peril of our modern world.
Let us seek the intercession of Our Blessed Mother Mary as we pray for the health and healing of our beloved Pope Leo.
In conjunction, the Diocese of San Bernardino offered a message to Pope Leo, praying for God’s guidance during the surgery:
The Catholic faithful of the Diocese of San Bernardino unite in prayer for the healing and recovery of the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. We ask God to guide the work of the physicians who are treating and advising our Pope. We invoke the presence of the Holy Spirit to bring calmness and hope in this time of anxiety for the universal Church. We ask all people of goodwill to pray for Pope Leo XIV, a holy man of great faith and integrity whose papacy has been marked by a spirit of peace, mercy and charity amid these perilous times.
“The Holy Father was in the operating room for approximately three hours, while the procedure itself lasted about 90 minutes,” the Vatican statement continued. “The operation was successful, and there were no complications. After surgery, the pope regained consciousness normally and, following a brief period of observation, returned to his room on the 10th floor.”
The statement was prepared by Dr. Luigi Carbone, the popeʼs personal physician, and Professor Stefano Margaritora, who performed the operation.
Pope Leo XIV, recovering from lung cancer surgery in Rome, sent a request for prayers to participants in a Vatican conference.
“As you know, I have been unable to be among you during these days,” Pope Leo wrote in the Oct. 14 message to clergy members and Catholics. “I thank you warmly for your prayers and for the work you have done together. Your sharing of experiences and attentive listening are indeed a gift to the whole Church.”
Doctors cleared Pope Leo XIV to leave the hospital, and he returned to the Vatican on Oct. 17.
On Oct. 21, he held his first general audience since the operation. Appearing to be in excellent spirits, the pope was undeterred by the rain in Rome. He wanted to be close to the faithful and thank them for their prayers for his health.
On the same day, the Vatican Press Office issued an important statement on Pope Leo XIVʼs recovery following his Oct. 13 surgery, confirming that no further treatment is necessary.
EWTN News contributed to this article