Catholics and other well-wishers across the world have offered prayers for Pope Leo XIV following his announcement that he will undergo surgery to remove a small nodule detected in his lung.

The Pope disclosed the development during his Angelus address at the Vatican on Sunday, reassuring the faithful that the nodule had been detected at a very early stage and was localised.

He said his doctors had recommended surgery as the best course of action and that he had decided to follow their medical advice.

The operation is scheduled to take place at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital in Rome in the early part of the week, according to the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni.

Bruni also said the Pope was expected to require approximately one week to recover after the operation.

Addressing the faithful, Leo expressed gratitude for their concern and appealed for spiritual support as he prepared for the procedure.

“Dear friends, during some recent medical examinations, the doctors found a small, localised nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is well-localised.

“The doctors believe that it is best to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it. The operation is already scheduled to take place in the coming days. I thank you for your spiritual closeness and entrust myself to your prayers,” he said.

The announcement prompted an outpouring of prayers and messages of solidarity from Catholic leaders, clergy, political figures, and members of other faiths, with many taking to social media to wish the pontiff a successful operation and a speedy recovery.

US Catholic Bishops, Clergy Offer Prayers

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops joined the growing number of well-wishers praying for the Pope.

In a statement shared on X, the conference’s president, Archbishop Paul Coakley, said the bishops were praying for the pontiff’s health and asking God to guide the medical team responsible for his treatment.

“The bishops of the United States join with the faithful and all people of goodwill in praying for his good health. May the hand of Pope Leo’s surgeons be guided by the divine physician Jesus Christ,” Coakley said.

He also encouraged the faithful to set aside time to pray for the Pope and the medical professionals attending to him.

Similarly, the Bishop of Fort Worth, Texas, Michael Olson, urged parishioners during Sunday Mass to remember the pontiff and his medical team in their prayers.

Archbishop Ronald Hicks of the Archdiocese of New York also expressed solidarity with the Pope, asking God to guide the hands of the surgeons, nurses, and other caregivers overseeing the operation.

Hicks said he would continue to remember the pontiff in his prayers while completing a weeklong pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago.

He called on Catholics, priests, and other well-wishers to pray for the Pope as he prepared for surgery.

The Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal World also offered prayers for the pontiff, asking Jesus Christ to bless the medical team and grant him good health, a swift recovery, and peace.

Italian Church, President Expresses Solidarity

In Italy, where the Vatican is located, Catholic leaders and political figures also conveyed their support for the Pope.

The president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, assured Leo of the country’s prayers, describing the Church as one family united in support of its leader.

“We thank Pope Leo for the simplicity and trust with which he has allowed us to share in this trial.

“We are one family: Holy Father, you are not alone,” Zuppi said.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella also sent a message expressing concern and affection for the pontiff on behalf of Catholics and other Italians.

He noted that the Pope could count on the prayers of Catholic faithful as well as the goodwill of people across Italy and beyond, regardless of their religious beliefs.

“In addition to the prayers of the Catholic faithful, the Pope will be able to count on the heartfelt thoughts of countless people, in Italy and throughout the world, whether believers or non-believers,” Mattarella said.

Malta, Uruguay Join Global Prayer Campaign

The Archbishop of Malta and Adjunct Secretary of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Charles Scicluna, said the Church in Malta was united in prayer as the Pope prepared for the operation.

“The Church in Malta is united in prayer for the Holy Father, wishing him well for the surgery he will be undergoing,” Scicluna wrote on X.

In Uruguay, Cardinal Daniel Sturla, the Archbishop of Montevideo, called on the faithful to pray for the Pope’s speedy recovery.

Sturla’s appeal also came ahead of the pontiff’s scheduled apostolic journey to Uruguay in November.

“Let us pray for his swift recovery and continue preparing for his visit to our country with renewed enthusiasm,” he said.

In Nigeria, Catholic priest Ugochukwu Ugwoke joined the global outpouring of prayers, asking God to grant the Pope a successful operation, renewed strength, and complete healing.

In one of his prayers shared on X, Ugwoke invoked the intercession of St Raphael the Archangel, traditionally associated with healing.

“Heavenly Father, we entrust Pope Leo XIV to your loving care as he prepares for surgery. Through the intercession of St Raphael the Archangel, your messenger of healing, grant him a successful surgery, a speedy recovery, renewed strength, and complete healing. May Your hand sustain him and your peace console him,” he prayed.

The messages from Nigeria and other countries reflected the international reach of the Pope’s appeal, with religious leaders and ordinary faithful joining in prayers for his health.

Pope’s Health Transparency Draws Attention

The announcement has also renewed discussions about the transparency surrounding the health of recent popes.

Catholic theologian Rich Raho observed on X that although concerns about papal health were not new, successive pontificates had brought greater openness about medical developments affecting the leaders of the Catholic Church.

“While papal health scares are nothing new, when they do come, they are jarring. That said, beginning with John Paul’s and through Francis’ pontificate, there is a new level of transparency that comes to the Pope’s health,” Raho wrote.

He urged the faithful to continue praying for Leo as he prepared for surgery and subsequent recovery.

While the Pope’s announcement has prompted widespread concern, his disclosure that the lung nodule was identified at an early stage has been central to his message to the faithful. He has not publicly disclosed further details about the nature of the nodule.

As preparations for the procedure continue, Catholics and well-wishers around the world are united in their hope that the operation will be successful and that the pontiff will recover quickly.