APTOPIX Peru Pope Statue
Ice cream vendor Alicia Caso touches a life-size statue of Pope Leo XIV standing on display outside a church in the Barranco neighborhood of Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, a month before the pope's visit to Peru.
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The Vatican says Pope Leo XIV has lung cancer and had the lower lobe of his right lung removed. The surgery Tuesday confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma. The 71-year-old was in the operating room for about three hours, with the surgery lasting 90 minutes. The Vatican stated the surgery was successful with no complications. Leo returned to his room at Rome’s Gemelli hospital after the procedure. The American pontiff had revealed the discovery of a nodule during his Sunday prayer and announced plans for its removal. Oncologists say his prognosis is excellent since it was removed early.
