In brief
After his surgery to remove a lower lobe of his lung, Pope Leo IV was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma, a development that has surprised Vatican officials. Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister, explained the situation on the BBC and Radio 4, noting that the pope’s health should no longer be taken for granted and that the diagnosis could alter the pace of papal duties. The pope is reportedly recovering in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital and is expected to resume his week‑sunday prayers once stable. Images of the saintous leader arriving at the hospital and later celebrating mass highlight the emotional weight of the announcement. Vatican officials underscore the need for careful planning before any future public engagements or visits abroad.
On Tuesday the 71‑year‑old pope underwent surgery to remove a lower lobe of his right lung at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. Doctors later confirmed the tissue was a case of lung adenocarcinoma, a form of cancer that has surprised Vatican officials.
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister and the highest‑ranking diplomat in the Holy See, told the BBC that the news of the pope’s ill health is "a bit of a game changer" and that it will make things "a bit different" for the church’s future leadership.
"I think we were maybe taking him a little bit for granted," the archbishop said. "He’s sporty and he seems to be in excellent health, and now we’re told that he’s not in excellent health and things have got to be sorted out."
The pope’s surgery was announced during his weekly Sunday prayers, where he informed the crowd in St Peter’s Square of a nodule that had been found on his lung. The team later confirmed the find was cancerous, as suspected by pre‑operative tests.
Vatican spokespeople say the pope is showing steady improvement in hospital and is expected to resume his Sunday prayers as soon as he is fit. The Angelus prayer—a staple of Vatican tradition—has previously been recited from a hospital window by past popes when necessary.
Archbishop Gallagher also hinted that the pope might visit the United Kingdom at a later date and that the Vatican is carefully assessing the next steps in the pope’s potential travels for 2027.
For further details, you can listen to Archbishop Gallagher’s full interview on Radio 4’s Sunday Programme, set to air at 07:10 on the BBC website.
