Dramatic Hours

Pope Leo Undergoes Lung Surgery: Brother Calls for Prayers

Pope Leo XIV must undergo surgery due to a lump in his lung.(Bild: EPA/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO)

Dramatic hours in Rome: A few days ago, doctors diagnosed Pope Leo XIV with a “early-stage” lung nodule. The pontiff will therefore be admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Hospital today, Tuesday, to undergo surgery.

The Vatican has not specified exactly when the surgery will take place. The Pope’s hospital stay is expected to last one week. It is possible that he will recite the Angelus prayer from a hospital balcony on Sunday. All appointments for the head of the Roman Catholic Church have been canceled through October 20.

I ask you to keep him in your prayers

Louis Prevost, Bruder von Papst Leo XIV.

The tissue mass found in Pope Leo XIV was discovered during routine checkups, the Vatican Press Office said on Monday. According to the statement, the finding was made during a routine checkup and not as a result of acute symptoms that would have required further testing, such as inflammation or an infection.

Pope Leo XIV must undergo surgery due to a mass in his lung.(Bild: EPA/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO)

Pope’s Brother Calls for Prayer
Pope Leo XIV’s brother, Louis Prevost, called on the faithful to pray for a successful surgery for the head of the Church. “I ask you to include him in your prayers so that the operation goes well and there are no further complications,” Prevost told the Italian newspaper *Corriere della Sera*.

Louis Prevost expressed confidence that the pope would make a full recovery. “I am certain that he will make a full recovery and continue his duties as head of the Catholic Church,” said the 74-year-old, who lives in Florida. According to the newspaper, Louis Prevost himself is currently in a hospital in the U.S. due to cancer.

Wishes for a speedy recovery from around the world
Believers and bishops around the globe also called for prayers. In a statement, the bishops highlighted—according to the Catholic news agency SIR—the “steadfastness and humility” with which the Pope had announced the news of the surgery.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also wished Pope Leo XIV a speedy recovery. At the same time, he thanked the pontiff for his tireless calls for peace. This was announced by the Ukrainian Embassy to the Holy See.

Maximum Security Measures in Rome
With the Pope’s arrival at the hospital, a no-fly zone will be established over the entire hospital grounds. Emergency response teams will monitor the airspace using helicopters, drones, and anti-drone systems. Special defense technology will be used to prevent unauthorized aerial surveillance. In addition, security measures will be strengthened to protect all of the hospital’s technical systems, particularly its IT networks. Highly specialized technical personnel will be deployed for this purpose.

Another key component of the security plan is the protection of the Pope’s medical data. The goal is to prevent test results or information about his health from being disclosed to the public. To protect the head of the Church’s privacy, clinical examinations, biological samples, and blood tests are expected to be recorded under alphanumeric codes or pseudonyms and processed in the laboratories. Given the threats posed by hybrid warfare, there is also a risk of cyberattacks.

As early as Monday, numerous camera crews, photographers, and television anchors had already gathered outside Gemelli Hospital to report on the Pope’s hospital stay. Vatican staff are also already on site, discreetly securing some of the reserved access routes to the hospital. Meanwhile, the rest of the hospital is operating as usual. The Gemelli Hospital is one of the largest hospitals in the Italian capital.