Pope Leo to undergo surgery for small growth on lung

Pope Leo, the 71-year-old pontiff, has announced he will undergo surgery to remove a small growth detected on his lung during a recent health examination. This marks the first health concern of his 71-year tenure as pope. During his weekly Sunday prayer in St. Peter's Square, Leo informed his congregation that the growth was "well-contained" and caught at an early stage.

The pontiff explained that doctors had found a localized nodule in his lung during routine medical tests. He stated, "It was detected at a very early stage and is well contained." Following their advice, Leo decided to undergo the surgery, which is scheduled to take place in the coming days. Born in 1954, Leo is relatively young for a Church leader.

He is known to enjoy sports, particularly tennis, and has no prior history of health issues. The late pope Francis, Leo's predecessor, died at the age of 88 and experienced increasing frailty in his later years. The Vatican press office has indicated that Leo's post-surgery recovery is expected to take about a week.