CBCP calls for prayers as Pope Leo XIV prepares for surgery

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday, 12 October, called on Filipino Catholics to pray for Pope Leo XIV as he prepares to undergo surgery to remove a nodule in his lung.

CBCP president Archbishop Gilbert Garcera urged the faithful to seek divine guidance for the medical team handling the procedure and pray for the pontiff's recovery.

“On behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, I appeal to our Filipino Catholic faithful to unite in prayer for our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, as he prepares to under lung surgery,” Garcera said.

He called on Catholics to pray that “the Lord may guide his surgeons and all who care for him, sustain him with strength and peace, and restore him to health as he continues to shepherd the universal Church.”

Garcera said he had instructed the clergy to offer Masses for the success of the surgery and the Pope's recovery.

He also encouraged religious communities and families to pray the rosary and offer daily sacrifices and acts of charity for the pontiff.

Pope Leo XIV, 71, announced on Sunday, 11 October, that he would undergo surgery after doctors discovered a small, localized nodule in his lung during a recent medical examination.

The procedure is scheduled to take place this week at Rome's Gemelli Hospital.

The Vatican said the pontiff is expected to remain hospitalized for approximately one week following the operation.