Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to return to Peru, where he spent more than two decades serving as a missionary, priest, and bishop. (Foto: Instagram)
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to return to Peru during his South America trip, revisiting a country where he spent more than two decades as a missionary, priest and bishop. The visit is set for Nov. 11-16 and includes Chiclayo, where he led the diocese from 2015 to 2023, as well as stops in the Amazon region. The pope was born in Chicago, but much of his pastoral experience developed in Peru, where his work with local communities helped shape his view of the Catholic Church’s role in Latin America.
The trip began in Uruguay on Nov. 6 and also includes Argentina. Leo XIV’s connection to Peru was apparent at his first appearance as pope in May 2025, when he greeted the Diocese of Chiclayo in Spanish, calling it his “beloved diocese,” and thanked the people who had followed his ministry. He has also described Peru as “one of my many homes.” In interviews after his election, he said that although he considers himself American, he loves Peru and its people, who are part of his identity.
Robert Francis Prevost’s work in Peru began in 1985, when he arrived in Chulucanas as an Augustinian missionary. From 1988 to 1999, he served in Trujillo as a parish priest and seminary professor and took part in community activities. He later returned to northern Peru to lead the Diocese of Chiclayo, where he served as bishop from 2015 through 2023. He became a naturalized Peruvian citizen on Aug. 24, 2015.
The Peru itinerary opens in Lima on Nov. 11 with meetings with government officials and civil society representatives. The next day, Leo XIV is scheduled to meet with bishops, members of religious orders, young people and university students. On Nov. 13, he will travel to Chiclayo, celebrate Mass and visit the Chapel of San Óscar A. Romero. His program there also includes meetings with religious figures and members of the university community.
Two days later, the pope is expected to visit Cusco and Pucallpa. In the Amazon region, he will meet with missionaries and representatives of Indigenous peoples and celebrate Mass. The final portion of the visit is set for Lima and Callao, where he will visit a shelter for older adults and take part in a religious service at Las Palmas Air Base. He is due to leave Peru on Nov. 16, with arrival in Rome expected the following day.
The South America trip comes less than a month after Leo XIV underwent surgery in October at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital to remove a malignant tumor from his right lung. The procedure lasted about 90 minutes. Doctors diagnosed pulmonary adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer; tests showed the disease was localized and had been removed. The pope was discharged on Oct. 17 after five days in the hospital and gradually resumed public engagements while undergoing medical evaluations. On Oct. 26, the Vatican said his test results indicated that his clinical condition was favorable for travel. The surgeon who performed the operation also said there were no medical reasons to prevent the trip.
