Pope Leo XIV cancels audiences through October 20 ahead of lung surgery

Vatican City, October 13 - Pope Leo XIV has suspended all his audience engagements until October 20, as he is set to undergo surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday. The Pope is scheduled to be admitted to the hospital later in the morning, where his medical team will remove a small, localized nodule in his lung. Pope Leo disclosed the planned procedure during Sunday's Angelus, noting that the nodule was discovered during routine examinations.

Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, confirmed to journalists that the examinations were standard and that the Pope was anticipated to stay in the hospital for about a week after the surgery. On Monday, Pope Leo conducted all his customary audiences, but he will miss the afternoon session of a meeting in the Paul VI Hall commemorating the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation, Amoris laetitia.

The meeting's agenda has been adjusted accordingly, with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle set to preside over the Mass. This Mass, which will gather attendees including heads of Eastern Churches, bishops' conference presidents, married couples, and experts, will no longer be led by Pope Leo, who has entrusted the task to Cardinal Tagle.

Cardinal Tagle will also offer prayers for the Pope's recovery and for families during the ceremony. Following the Mass, Pope Leo's absence will impact plans for the publication of a summary report at the meeting's conclusion. According to Jesuit Father Giacomo Costa, who oversees the meeting's procedures and acts as a consultant to the General Secretariat of the Synod, the Pope expressed a desire to hear the outcomes and contribute his reflections before the report's release.

Consequently, Costa informed that the publication of the synthesis report has been postponed to enable Pope Leo to first review the findings and provide his own insights. Costa highlighted that the Pope's yearning to listen is commendable and emphasized that he wished the meeting to conclude with an opportunity for the Holy Father to offer guidance, potentially bolstering the Church's collective dedication.

Vatican News shared that Pope Leo has received expressions of support from religious institutions and political figures from all five continents prior to the operation.