Pope Leo XIV and Archbishop Thomas Wenski shake hands during a meeting on Oct. 5, 2026, days before the pope underwent lung surgery.
Simone Risoluti
Courtesy of the Archdiocese of Miami
Miami’s top Catholic leader is calling on the faithful to pray for Pope Leo XIV after he was diagnosed with lung cancer on Tuesday following a surgical procedure on his lungs.
“Our prayers are with Pope Leo XIV as he recovers from his recent surgery,” said Archbishop Thomas Wenski on Tuesday night. “I invite all the faithful of the Archdiocese of Miami and all people of good will to unite in prayer for Pope Leo, and for all those who struggle with life-threatening illnesses.”
The Pope’s surgery, performed at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, successfully removed the lower part of the Pope’s right lung. But the lung tissue examined by the Pope’s doctors during the operation confirmed the previously suspected diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, a common type of lung diagnosis.
The Pope has been recovering since Wednesday morning and has been eating and walking around his hospital room — all good signs of a normal recovery, according to Vatican News.
The cancer diagnosis, though caught at an early stage, raises questions about the stability and future of the Holy Father’s agenda. Pope Leo, 71, is just about a year and half into his papacy and this diagnosis is the first publicly disclosed major health problem.
Experts say more information is needed to determine if the disease has spread yet and what kind of treatment is needed moving forward. Pope Leo has cleared his appearances through October 20 as he remains in the hospital, but still plans to travel to South America next month, including to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, according to remarks the Pope made on Sunday.
In Miami, Wenski said he met with the Pope earlier this month, and did not know at the time that he would be having surgery — though he told Pope Leo “that the faithful of Miami pray for him daily.”
The 71-year-old American Pope is still relatively young for a pope and remains physically active with weekly tennis matches and riding horses at Castel Gandolfo, the papal retreat, according to reporting from NPR.
The Pope does, however, have a family history of cancer. Pope Leo’s older brother, who lives in Florida, Louis Prevost, has multiple myeloma, according to CBS News. Prevost’s wife, Deborah Prevost, told CBS that he’s currently in a clinical trial at a local hospital where he’s being treated, but did not share the stage of the cancer, just that he was first diagnosed in 2017.
The transparent way in which the Pope announced his lung surgery was considered a break in a tradition of secrecy surrounding the Pope’s health issues.
Pope Leo revealed the discovery of the growth on his lung during his Sunday noon prayer — which was broadcast to the world on live television — almost as an aside toward the end of his blessing.
Miami Herald
Lauren Costantino is a religion reporter for the Miami Herald funded with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald retains editorial control of all work. Since joining the Herald in 2021, Lauren has worked as an audience engagement producer, reaching new audiences through social media, podcasts and community-focused projects. She lives in Miami Beach with her cocker spaniel, Oliver.