Leo

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election, casting a mail-in ballot in a contest that will decide America’s future as the Trump era slowly comes to an end.

The Vatican confirmed Friday that the Chicago-born pontiff had submitted a mail-in ballot in Chicago ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, citing his long-standing belief in civic participation.

Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, “has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen” and has done so “whenever he was eligible to do so,” the Holy See press office said.

The statement said he had also voted while living in Peru whenever he was eligible. Leo lived in Peru as a missionary priest and bishop for over 20 years.

“The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes,” it added.

Leo holds U.S. and Peruvian citizenship, and is also the head of state of a foreign country, the Holy See. The city state is an absolute monarchy with no political elections.

This election, Illinois voters are deciding whether to elect Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to his third term, and they’re also filling an open U.S. Senate seat after longtime Catholic Democrat Dick Durbin’s retirement. President Donald Trump is not on the ballot but he has campaigned hard to try to preserve Republican control of the U.S. House and Senate for the final two years of his second term.

Leo’s vote was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, which quoted the chief of staff at the Will County clerk’s office as saying the pope, registered at a New Lenox address, requested a mail-in ballot on Oct. 3.

The request was made just 10 days before Leo underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung. Leo has been slowly resuming his activities at the Vatican after being released from the hospital Oct. 17.

It is unclear how Leo returned the ballot. The pope’s older brother, John Prevost, was in Rome this week accompanying parishioners from St. Jude’s, an Augustinian-run parish in New Lenox, Illinois. The elder Prevost attends Mass there, and Leo gave a talk at the parish in 2024 while still a cardinal.

Prevost’s past votes have gone Democratic and Republican

Since 2000, Robert Prevost has voted in five primary elections, requesting Democratic ballots twice and Republican ballots three times, according to records held by the Illinois State Board of Elections.

The records do not show which candidates he supported. Illinois voters must declare a party preference to receive a primary ballot. No such declaration is required in general elections.

While registered in heavily Democratic Cook County, Prevost requested Democratic primary ballots in 2008 and 2010. After moving to the more conservative suburban Will County, he requested Republican primary ballots in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

The records also show that he submitted ballots in every general election since 2000 except those in 2020 and 2022.

Clashes with Trump

Since becoming pope, Leo has drawn criticism from President Donald Trump for repeatedly condemning the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and calling for dignified treatment of immigrants.

Earlier this year, Trump called Leo “weak” and captive to the “radical left.”

Responding to Trump’s public rebuke, Leo told reporters en route to Algeria in April: “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel, which is what the church works for.”

“I will continue to speak out strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems,” he said.

The public dispute has subsided in recent months.

A pope who follows U.S. politics closely

Leo has made clear on several occasions that he follows local and national U.S. politics closely, and is not afraid to intervene.

He has repeatedly called for reflection and humane treatment for immigrants in his native U.S. amid the Trump administration crackdown and mass deportation program.

Recently, Leo reiterated official church teaching declaring the death penalty “inadmissible.” He made the pronouncement in a social media post on the World Day Against the Death Penalty, which came as the U.S. announced plans to livestream an execution by firing squad. The plans were later scrapped.

In 2025, Leo intervened in a debate over abortion, after Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich announced plans to give a lifetime achievement award to Sen. Durbin. The plans drew objection from some conservative U.S. bishops given the powerful Democratic senator’s support for abortion rights. Leo called for respect for both sides, but he also pointed out the contradiction between people who call themselves “pro-life” but also support the death penalty.

Also in 2025, Leo said he was “very disappointed” that his home state of Illinois approved a law allowing medically assisted dying, which is condemned by the Catholic Church.

Winfield writes for the Associated Press. AP editor Holly Meyer contributed to this report from Nashville, Tenn.

Andres Perea scored a goal and Matt Freese had two saves for New York City FC on Saturday night in a 1-1 tie with LAFC.

Perea slammed home a header off a corner kick played in by Nicolás Fernández to make it 1-1 in the 59th minute.

NYCFC (8-12-10) is winless, with three losses, in its last five games.

Leo Walta, acquired Aug. 31 by LAFC on loan, scored his first career MLS goal in his fourth appearance. The 23-year-old midfielder put away a straightaway free kick from 30 yards out to open the scoring in first-half stoppage time.

Hugo Lloris had three saves for LAFC (12-9-10).

Up next for LAFC: Hosts the Galaxy on Oct. 25.

Doctors say they are seeing ‘continued improvement’ after the US-born pope had a lump removed from his lung on Tuesday.

Pope Leo has returned to the Vatican, four days after receiving surgery for lung cancer in Rome.

The pope said he was feeling “much better” when asked about his health as he was driven away from the Gemelli University Hospital against cries of “holiness” from onlookers on Saturday.

Leo had the lower lobe of his right lung removed on Tuesday. The surgery confirmed he had adenocarcinoma, which is the most common type of lung cancer.

He is set to resume some duties on Sunday, when he greets the faithful with the Catholic Church’s traditional Angelus blessing.

Doctors have said tests confirmed his “continued improvement”.

Since having surgery, the pope has had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, held meetings with senior aides and celebrated mass in a makeshift hospital chapel.

Leo thanked staff in the Rome hospital for the work they do every day “taking care of the sick in their fragility”, as well as for “what they had done for him”, a Vatican spokesperson said.

Pope Leo’s next major engagement is a trip to Latin America in mid-November, giving him about three weeks to recover for an ambitious journey that includes a dozen flights and two helicopter trips.

Leo is the first pope from the United States, hailing from Chicago. However, he has spent decades living and working across South America and is a naturalised Peruvian citizen.

IF Leonardo DiCaprio, a man who seems to have dated half the Victoria’s Secret catalogue, can’t whip his shirt off on a Hawaiian beach without critics likening him to a beached whale, what hope is there for the rest of us blokes?

The recent photos of Leo catching some rays sparked a frenzy of online trolling, with keyboard warriors gleefully pointing out that the actor – shock horror – no longer possesses the boyish physique he sported 30 years ago on the bow of the Titanic.

Apparently, we are now fair game and it’s open season on the male waistline. 

Leo’s holiday flab, the internet decided, was public property, ripe for mockery. 

They disparagingly call it the “Dad Bod” – even though Leo, as far as we know, has yet to produce any sprogs. 

It’s a term delivered with a patronising smirk, conjuring images of a bloke whose primary exercise consists of walking to the fridge between repeats of Top Gear.

But let’s pause for a second and reverse it. Would any sane person ever dream of pointing a camera at a woman on a beach and laughing at her “Mum Bod”?

You’d be cancelled in an instant with feminists queuing up to condemn you. 

Yet, when it comes to blokes, it seems the rules against bodyshaming don’t apply. 

Now, I’ll acknowledge the elephant in the room, women have put up with relentless, toxic body scrutiny for decades. 

But it’s the women in my life who have been most gleeful when scrutinising poor Leo.

It’s only fair they argue, after all 51-year-old Leo isn’t shy at letting his own preferences be known, dating a string of twenty-somethings who look like they’ve never consumed a carb in their short lives.

But underneath the jokes about Leo’s paunch, there is a serious side to all of this.

The pressure to look like a muscle bound Marvel actor is driving ordinary blokes to desperate measures – and contributing to poor male mental health.

Gym memberships are skyrocketing, not just because men suddenly care about their cardiovascular health, but because they are chasing the Hollywood aesthetic.

We are witnessing an epidemic of normal blokes turning to unregulated peptides and sometimes illegal supplements, desperately trying to keep up with the unachievable, steroid-assisted standards plastered across their Instagram feeds.

I’ll hold my hands up and confess I am one of the millions who has tried the fat jabs.

After years of miserable yo-yo dieting, I would always end exactly back where I started, so I finally caved and got on the Mounjaro.

The pharmaceutical quick fix certainly worked, helping me to lose a couple of stone within six months despite the dreaded side effects.

But despite my smaller frame – and annoyingly pricey new wardrobe to match – I still have to contend with the toxic pressure of the perfect body burrowed in my own brain.

And I’m far from the only one. Just look at the male celebs who are supposedly at the top of the food chain. 

Pop icon Robbie Williams has been open about his own torturous battle with his weight and his use of fat jabs, telling fans: “I could write a book about self loathing where my body image is concerned, like pure self hatred.

“The struggle is real. The sadness is shocking. I’ve had it all my life. And it won’t abate.”

James Corden has faced abuse from those obsessed with his waistline, even channelling his frustration with the industry into Nessa and Smith’s love story in Gavin & Stacey. 

He once said: “If an alien came back and they had to take a reading on planet Earth by just watching films or TV, they would imagine that if you are chubby or fat or big, you never really fall in love, you never have sex. Certainly no-one really ever finds you attractive.”

Even the supposed “hunks” are miserable. While Jason Momoa has shrugged off “Dad Bod” criticism, Zac Efron has spoken out about the severe dehydration and “pretty bad depression” he suffered to get his Baywatch body.

While Chris Pratt had to ditch his Parks & Rec “dad bod” to break Hollywood as the ripped Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy.

But then found himself criticised for being too thin, forcing him to warn critics to back off: “Just because I am a male doesn’t mean I’m impervious to your whispers. Body shaming hurts.”

So it’s little wonder that the next generation of young men are endlessly preening themselves in the mirror. 

They call it looksmaxxing, a dystopian online cult where young lads obsess over every facet of their appearance to fit a very specific alien-like visage.

We have genuinely reached a point where an influencer known as Clavicular, literally smacks himself in the face with a hammer in a bid to attempt to reshape his jawline, and is watched in this mindboggling process by millions of impressionable youngsters. 

We have created a world where teenage boys are learning that blunt-force facial trauma is preferable to looking like a normal human being.

It’s time to call time on the madness.

If the price of a Hollywood physique is a lifetime of misery, macros counting, and taking a hammer to your own cheekbones, you can count me out.

Let’s leave Leo to enjoy his Hawaiian holiday in peace, and please give us blokes a bloody break too.

The 71-year-old is recovering in Rome’s Gemelli hospital after surgery to remove a cancerous growth on his lung.

Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with cancer after an operation to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, according to a medical bulletin published by the Vatican.

Tests confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, the Vatican added, noting the diagnosis had been suspected by preoperative tests. It did not provide details on the recovery outlook or course of treatment.

In a statement released Tuesday, the Vatican said the procedure lasted 90 minutes and that the surgery “was successful, and there were no complications”.

The 71-year-old has returned to his room at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he is expected to recover for a week, with all his audiences through October 20 cancelled.

The Vatican said doctors are not currently discussing chemotherapy or other therapies pending the results of other tests.

The Holy See’s press office noted the medical statement spoke of the “radical” removal of the lobe as an indication that doctors removed all suspect tissue in the hope of eliminating any lingering traces of the cancer.

Before the procedure, Leo waved to dozens of well-wishers gathered at the hospital’s main entrance.

In an unusually transparent update on papal health, Leo first revealed that doctors found a small nodule during his Sunday noon prayer in St Peter’s Square.

“The doctors believe it’s best to take action, so, following their advice, I’ve decided to have surgery to remove it,” he said during remarks delivered in Italian.

Latin American tour

The pope has no reported history of serious illness and is considered physically active, routinely swimming and playing tennis.

The surgery comes ahead of an official Latin America tour scheduled for November 6-17, with stops planned across Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.

It is unclear whether his recovery will affect the ambitious itinerary, which includes a dozen flights, two helicopter rides and significant altitude changes in Peru.

The pope told reporters on Sunday that he intends to make the journey.

Vatican officials expect a one-week hospital recovery for the 71-year-old religious leader ahead of his scheduled Latin America tour.

Pope Leo XIV is to undergo surgery to remove a lung nodule, the Vatican has announced.

The 71-year-old leader of the Catholic Church will enter Rome’s Gemelli Hospital late on Tuesday morning for the procedure, which is expected to require about a week of inpatient recovery and has forced the cancellation of upcoming papal audiences.

During his weekly blessing in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, Leo told pilgrims that a small nodule was found on his left lung during a routine checkup and said it was “well-contained” and had been spotted early.

“The doctors believe it’s best to take action, so, following their advice, I’ve decided to have surgery to remove it,” he said during remarks delivered in Italian.

Later, the Vatican said a week of recovery time is expected after Leo’s surgery, and his audiences have been cancelled until October 20.

Spokespeople did not clarify whether the nodule is believed to be malignant.

The pope has no reported history of serious illness and is considered physically active, routinely swimming and playing tennis.

The upcoming surgery comes ahead of an official Latin America tour scheduled for November 6–17, with stops planned across Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.

Whether the operation and subsequent recovery will force changes to the itinerary remains unclear, though the pontiff told reporters on Sunday that he intends to make the journey.

The late Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, died at age 88. Francis was hospitalised several times and grew frail in his later years. He did not usually announce his hospital visits in advance, sometimes sparking intense media speculation about his health.

Pope Leo XIV has announced he will be operated “in the coming days” after a lump was found on his lung during a medical check up.

“The doctors found an early, well-localised nodule on my lung,” he told the public during his weekly Sunday prayers in St Peter’s Square in Rome.

The 71-year-old pontiff said his medical team “believe it would be right to intervene” and he had agreed to the operation.

Pope Leo reassured pilgrims that the mass was “well-contained” and caught “at an early stage”.

He concluded his Angelus prayer by thanking everyone for their “spiritual closeness” and said he entrusted himself to their prayers.

Holy See Press Office spokesperson Matteo Bruni told the media that “the operation is scheduled for the first days of next week”.

Bruni added that the Pope is expected to take about a week to recover.

Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Provost, succeeded Pope Francis in 2025. He is the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter – and the first American.

He was ordained in 1982 and spent years as a missionary in Peru, where he is remembered as a figure who worked with marginalised communities and helped build bridges.