Pope Leo XIV arrived in Lima on Wednesday to begin a six-day visit to Peru, a country he described as his “homeland.”
The pontiff, who previously served as a missionary and bishop in the nation, landed at a Lima-area air base to a welcome from President Keiko Fujimori. The Holy See estimated that approximately 3 million people lined the motorcade route into the capital to greet the leader.
“I can tell you, with deep gratitude, that I am also returning to my homeland,” Pope Leo said during his arrival address, National Catholic Reporter reported.
A homecoming for the first Peruvian citizen pope
The visit marks the final leg of a three-nation South American tour that included stops in Uruguay and Argentina. For Leo, the trip serves as a return to the region where he spent more than 20 years as a missionary priest and later as a bishop.
The 71-year-old arrived via an Aerolineas Argentinas charter plane. For Leo, this journey follows his time as a missionary priest starting in 1985 and his subsequent leadership of the Diocese of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023.
The Chicago-born pontiff became a Peruvian citizen in 2015, National Catholic Register noted. He served as the bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. Although he did not vote in the Peruvian presidential elections that elected Fujimori, his citizenship remains a central part of his identity. He is even expected to collect a renewed Peruvian identity card during this visit.
“We love him so much because he’s worked here, he knows our sufferings, he knows it all,” said 85-year-old Evelina Cruz, who waited for the arrival of the man many locals still refer to as “Padre Robert,” CBS News reported.
Gustavo Morello, an associate professor of sociology at Boston College and author of “Lived Religion in Latin America,” described the trip as a “return to his origins, without any doubt.” He added that the visit represents “the homecoming of the first Peruvian pope, no matter where he was born.”
Challenges facing the Peruvian people
During his visit, the pope is expected to address the complex social and environmental issues currently affecting the nation. He is scheduled to deliver a speech in Lima regarding “the challenges and hopes for the future of the Peruvian people,” Leo said.
The visit comes amid social strain. Véronique Lecaros, head of the department of theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, noted a “profound sense of weariness regarding politics and corruption.” Many Peruvians are also facing the increasing cost of food and rising insecurity. Father Lydon also noted the challenge of people moving from mountain life to cities.
Environmental and humanitarian issues are also prominent. In the Amazon, illegal coca leaf cultivation and illegal gold mining are impacting Indigenous populations. In the north, the region has dealt with the effects of the 2017 coastal El Niño and Cyclone Yaku in 2023. Regarding Cyclone Yaku, Bishop Prevost previously led efforts to provide aid to more than 10,000 people affected by flooding.
Itinerary through Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco, and Pucallpa
The pope’s six-day schedule includes visits to several key regions of the country. On Thursday, he is scheduled to lead a prayer vigil with students and young people at the Monumental Stadium.
The upcoming travel plan includes the following locations:
- Lima: The capital city, where the pope will reside at the bishops’ residence for two nights in his former home.
- Chiclayo: The northwestern city, which has a population of approximately 690,000. Leo is scheduled to arrive there on Nov. 13, where he will be welcomed by Augustinian Bishop Edinson Edgardo Farfán Córdova. He will conclude his time there with a dinner for the priests of the Diocese of Chiclayo at the College of St. Turibius of Mogrovejo.
- Cusco: The former Inca capital. The pope will celebrate Mass in the main square, a site where the Indigenous leader Túpac Amaru II was killed in 1781.
- Pucallpa: A location in the Amazon where the pope will celebrate Mass to honor Indigenous peoples.
- Zaña: The pope is scheduled to visit the Shrine of St. Turibius of Mogrovejo on Nov. 14 for a prayer meeting.
In Chiclayo, the pope’s legacy is visible through colorful murals and items like baseball hats and bobbleheads. The Rev. Jasson Sempertegui, who served as his secretary, said that many locals view him as “Chiclayano.” The Rev. Elmer Uchofen, a prison chaplain, said that prisoners at the Chiclayo penitentiary even carved a papal staff as a gift for his visit.
High altitude risks follow lung surgery
The trip follows a period of recovery for the 71-year-old pope.
His scheduled visit to the Andes, including a trip to an elevation of 6,500 feet in Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, is considered risky due to the thin air following his lung surgery, Yahoo reported. On Nov. 14, he will also participate in a prayer meeting marking the 300th anniversary of the canonization of St. Toribio de Mogrovejo.
Pope Leo is scheduled to depart Peru and return to Rome on Nov. 17, Vatican News reported.
Earlier coverage: Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Argentina After Uruguay Visit