Pope Leo XIV announced that after a nodule was detected in his lung during a medical examination, he will undergo surgery “in the coming days.”

During the weekly Sunday prayer in St. Peter’s Square (Piazza San Pietro) in Rome, Pope Leo told the people: “The doctors found a nodule in my lung that is in its early stages, has a limited and clearly defined border, and has not penetrated the surrounding tissues.”

The 71-year-old leader of the Catholic Church said that members of his medical team “believe that taking this medical step is the right thing to do,” and that he has agreed to the procedure.

A nodule (or “gِرهَک”) is an unusual round and almost solid structure that may appear in different parts of the body.