INSIDE ‘VATICAN III’ Who’s Guarding the Pope’s Life?

As Pope Leo XIV prepares for surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, a highly trusted medical team steeped in decades of papal healthcare has assembled to oversee his treatment.

The medical team attending to Pope Leo XIV at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli University Hospital is being led by Dr. Luigi Carbone, director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene for the Vatican City State. A veteran physician in pontifical care who previously accompanied Pope Francis on his international journeys, Dr. Carbone is coordinating closely with top surgical specialists from the hospital.

Joining the medical staff is Massimiliano Strappetti, an experienced healthcare professional with a long history of caring for Roman Pontiffs. Professionally trained at the Gemelli, Strappetti attended to Saint John Paul II, remained by the side of Benedict XVI in his final years, and served as a close healthcare coordinator for Pope Francis.
The choice of the Gemelli hospital carries deep historical resonance for the Catholic Church. Known as “Vatican III”—a name coined by Saint John Paul II during his 153 cumulative days of treatment there—the facility features a dedicated papal suite and private chapel on its tenth floor. While every pontiff’s medical situation remains unique, the return of a Pope to the Gemelli once again unites the faithful worldwide in prayer and support.