Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to be admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital “late in the morning” on Tuesday, October 13, for surgery to remove a localized nodule in his lung.
According to the Prefecture of the Papal Household, all of the Pope’s audience have been cancelled due to his hospitalization through Tuesday, October 20.
The Pope announced the upcoming operation at Sunday’s Angelus, explaining that the “small, localized nodule” had been discovered during recent medical examinations.
Responding to journalists’ questions about the Pope’s health on Monday, Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, clarified that the examinations had been routine checks.
He also confirmed that the Pope’s hospital stay following surgery is expected to last approximately one week, as indicated on Sunday.
Pope Leo, who has received messages of support from Churches and political leaders across all five continents, held all his scheduled audiences on Monday morning.
However, he will not take part in the afternoon session of the meeting in the Paul VI Hall marking the tenth anniversary of the publication of Amoris laetitia.
Changes to the Pope’s schedule
Speaking at a briefing in the Holy See Press Office, Jesuit Fr. Giacomo Costa, who oversees the meeting’s methodology and serves as a consultor to the General Secretariat of the Synod, explained that the surgery and subsequent hospital stay would require changes to how the meeting proceeds.
One change concerns the Mass scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, in St. Peter’s Square, with the meeting’s participants, including heads of Eastern Churches, Presidents of Bishops’ Conferences, married couples, and experts.
Pope Leo will no longer preside at the celebration but has entrusted that role to Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and new Dean of the College of Cardinals.
“During the Mass, we will pray especially for the Holy Father’s health, as well as for families,” Fr. Costa said.
Pope wishes to hear meeting’s conclusions
The Pope’s hospitalization will also affect plans for the synthesis report to be prepared at the end of the meeting.
Fr. Costa explained that Pope Leo had wanted to listen to the participants’ conclusions and offer his own reflections.
For that reason, the Pope asked that the report not be published as originally planned, so that he could first hear its contents and respond.
After leaving the hospital, Pope Leo intends to return to the document and the meeting’s other materials before offering his reflections.
“I think this desire of his to listen is beautiful,” Fr. Costa said. He added that the Pope did not want the meeting simply to pass without having the opportunity to offer a word that could support the commitment of the whole Church.
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