(Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
BOGOTA, Colombia – Pope Leo XIV arrived in Peru on Wednesday for a six-day pastoral visit, marking a homecoming to the country where he spent much of his religious career as a missionary and bishop.
The pontiff was welcomed by Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori at the airport in Lima with full state honors before traveling through the capital’s historic center aboard the popemobile.
Thousands of Peruvians lined the streets to greet the Pope as he made his way to the Government Palace for an official meeting with Fujimori.
The visit marks the final leg of Leo XIV’s first Latin American tour, following stops in Uruguay and Argentina.
Born Robert Prevost, the pontiff first arrived in Peru as an Augustinian missionary in 1985. He later served as Bishop of Chiclayo before being appointed to a senior Vatican position in 2023.
His return to Peru carries personal significance, reflecting decades of pastoral work and his longstanding ties to the country’s Catholic communities.
Earlier Wednesday, Leo XIV concluded his four-day visit to Argentina with a farewell ceremony at Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Ezeiza.
Argentine President Javier Milei, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, and Presidential Secretary Karina Milei attended the ceremony, where the Pope exchanged emotional farewells with officials and well-wishers.
Before leaving Argentina, the pontiff celebrated an outdoor Mass near the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, drawing a massive gathering of Catholic faithful.
“Farewell, my dear Argentina! Thank you, Argentina, for welcoming me with open arms!” Leo XIV told the crowd.
“Now you have two Popes: one who was born here and another by adoption,” he added, referring to the late Pope Francis, who was born in Argentina.
Following the ceremony, Leo XIV departed for Lima aboard a flight carrying the Vatican delegation and accompanying journalists.
During his six-day stay in Peru, the Pope is scheduled to visit several regions, focusing on religious outreach, Indigenous communities, and environmental protection.
In Cusco, he is expected to meet Indigenous groups and pastoral leaders in the southern Andes.
His visit to Pucallpa will highlight environmental conservation and efforts to protect the Amazon rainforest.
The pontiff will also travel to Chiclayo, where he previously served as bishop for eight years, reconnecting with the diocese that played a major role in his religious ministry.
The Peru visit concludes a South American journey emphasizing faith, cultural identity, environmental stewardship, and the Catholic Church’s relationship with communities across the region.
