Pope Leo XIV arrived in Peru on Wednesday for a 12-day tour of South America, marking his first visit to the country since his election as the first U.S.-born pontiff.
Although born in Chicago, the pope—formerly known as Robert Francis Prevost—spent two decades in Peru as a missionary, priest, and bishop, becoming a naturalized citizen in 2015.
Upon landing at the Callao Air Base near Lima, the pope was greeted by President Keiko Fujimori and a group of singing children. His motorcade journey to the government palace drew an estimated 3 million spectators, which the Vatican identified as the largest crowd of his papacy to date. Many supporters lined the streets, holding up cellphones to capture the procession.
During an address to government officials and diplomats at the Gran Teatro Nacional on Wednesday evening, the pope referred to Peru as his “homeland.”
said Pope Leo XIV. He said that the Peruvian citizenship he received in 2015 strengthened a bond that had existed since he first arrived in the country as a missionary in 1985. He credited Peru with “forming me as a shepherd,” reflecting on his time in the country, which included serving as the bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023.
The visit comes as Peru faces public frustration regarding political uncertainty, crime, and corruption. In his first scheduled event, the pope urged President Fujimori to address the country’s history with sensitivity. While he did not directly name the internal conflict that lasted from approximately 1980 to 2000, he said that past events require justice to allow for national harmony.
The political context of the visit is complex; President Keiko Fujimori is the daughter of the late former president Alberto Fujimori, whose administration was marked by human rights convictions. When Alberto Fujimori received a pardon in 2017, then-Bishop Prevost criticized the decision, arguing that the former president needed to seek forgiveness from victims to achieve reconciliation.
The pope’s itinerary includes travel to Cusco, the historic capital of the Inca empire, and Chiclayo, where he is scheduled to arrive on Friday. In Chiclayo, the pope is remembered for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic, his assistance to Venezuelan migrants, and his efforts to provide aid during floods. Local preparations for his arrival have included murals, bobblehead dolls, and T-shirts featuring his image.
The pontiff also plans to visit Pucallpa in the Peruvian Amazon to celebrate Mass and meet with Indigenous communities. This region faces extreme poverty, violence, and environmental damage from illegal gold mining and coca cultivation.
As the tour continues, the pope’s focus remains on the country that shaped his pastoral identity. Reverend John Lydon, an Augustinian priest who worked with the pope for a decade, stated, “I believe his dedication to the poor and his defense of human rights will continue to define his visit.”
Earlier coverage: Pope Leo XIV Returns to Peru, Welcomed by Millions in Lima
