ROME — Pope Leo XIV waved to supporters before undergoing surgery Tuesday to remove a cancerous mass from his lung. Faithful have gathered at the Rome hospital and prayed for him.

People wait for Pope Leo XIV to arrive at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, where he's expected to be operated to remove a lung nodule. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
People wait for Pope Leo XIV to arrive at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, where he’s expected to be operated to remove a lung nodule. (Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP.)
A nun holds a picture of Pope Leo XIV prior to the start of a Mass to conclude the Vatican meeting of the heads of Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of bishops' conferences titled "Ten Years After Amoris Laetitia: Proclaiming the Gospel With Families Today," in St. Peter¥s Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A nun holds a picture of Pope Leo XIV prior to the start of a Mass to conclude the Vatican meeting of the heads of Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of bishops’ conferences titled “Ten Years After Amoris Laetitia: Proclaiming the Gospel With Families Today,” in St. Peter¥s Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)
Local Police patrol the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome,Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, where Pope Leo XIV is expected to be operated to remove a lung nodule. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Local Police patrol the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome,Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, where Pope Leo XIV is expected to be operated to remove a lung nodule. (Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP.)
Medical Director Andrea Cambieri, right, greets Pope Leo XIV as he arrives at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, where doctors expect to operate to remove a lung nodule. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Medical Director Andrea Cambieri, right, greets Pope Leo XIV as he arrives at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, where doctors expect to operate to remove a lung nodule. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)
Postcards of Pope Leo XIV are displayed outside a shop selling religious items near St. Peter's Square, in Rome, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Postcards of Pope Leo XIV are displayed outside a shop selling religious items near St. Peter’s Square, in Rome, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV arrives at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, where he's expected to be operated to remove a lung nodule. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Leo XIV arrives at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, where he’s expected to be operated to remove a lung nodule. (Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP.)
A nun holds a picture of Pope Leo XIV prior to the start of a Mass to conclude the Vatican meeting of the heads of Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of bishops' conferences titled "Ten Years After Amoris Laetitia: Proclaiming the Gospel With Families Today," in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A nun holds a picture of Pope Leo XIV prior to the start of a Mass to conclude the Vatican meeting of the heads of Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of bishops’ conferences titled “Ten Years After Amoris Laetitia: Proclaiming the Gospel With Families Today,” in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)
A view of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic where Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to be hospitalized, in Rome, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
A view of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic where Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to be hospitalized, in Rome, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)
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. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
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. (Credit: Martin Mejia/AP.)
An image of Pope Leo XIV rests at the base of a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, where Leo is hospitalized for surgery to remove a lung nodule, in Rome, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
An image of Pope Leo XIV rests at the base of a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, where Leo is hospitalized for surgery to remove a lung nodule, in Rome, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)
A view of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic where Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to be hospitalized, in Rome, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
A view of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic where Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to be hospitalized, in Rome, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)

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