Américo Aguiar expresses solidarity with Pope after announcement of surgery

O cardinal Américo Aguiar today expressed solidarity with Pope Leo XIV, who announced that he will undergo surgery to remove a nodule in the lung “in the coming days”, and praised its transparency and simplicity.

In a message published on the website of the Diocese of Setúbal, the Portuguese Cardinal left the Pope “a very heartfelt word of friendship, affection, solidarity and above all of deep communion and prayer”.

The Bishop of Setúbal also highlighted the fact that the announcement of this medical intervention was made by the Pope himself, with “an extraordinary transparency, with simplicity, truth and humanity”.

“ We are with you in prayer, friendship, solidarity and this communion that makes us a true family”, wrote the Cardinal.

Pope Leo XIV announced today that he would be operated on to the lung after the Angelus prayer.

“ Recently, during some control tests, the doctors detected a circumscribed nodule in my lung. It was detected in a very early and well located phase,” he told the faithful.

“ The doctors consider it appropriate to intervene and, therefore, following their advice, I decided to undergo surgery to remove it,” said the 71-year-old American Pope, quoted by the AFP and EFE agencies.

Leo added that the intervention is “already scheduled for the next days”, although without specifying the date.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni later said that the leader of the Catholic Church should be operated in the early days of the week beginning on Monday, October 12.

“ In response to the journalists’ questions, I may specify that the intervention is scheduled for the first days of next week,” Bruni said.

“ The expected postoperative hospitalization time is approximately one week,” he added, in a brief communication.

No clarification was given as to the possibility that the operation could alter the Pope's international agenda, which should travel from 6 to 17 November to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.

This is the first health alert for Leo XIV after 16 months of intense rhythm.