Pope Leo XIV arrived in Peru on Nov. 11 for the final stop of his South American trip. Local authorities estimated that 3 million people joined the welcome. (Foto: Instagram)
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Peru on Wednesday, Nov. 11, for the final stop on his South American trip. Local authorities estimated that 3 million people took part in the welcome, which would make it the largest crowd of his papacy. The visit has particular significance for Peru: before becoming pope, Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost, spent nearly 20 years working in the country and became a naturalized Peruvian citizen. In his first remarks, he said he was “deeply happy to return to Peru.”
Leo reflected on his years in the country, saying he had shared in the lives of Peruvians, listened to their concerns and learned from their faith. He said many people had welcomed him into their homes, shared meals with him—including ceviche—and made him feel like one of their own. His remarks drew on the relationships and experiences he formed during his time in Peru.
Welcomed by President Keiko Fujimori, the pope also urged politicians to serve the public and pursue the common good. He said people who turn to institutions expect to be heard, to understand decisions that affect them and to find someone they can approach with confidence. Behind routine paperwork and abstract figures in a national census, he said, are individuals waiting for answers that can have a major effect on their peace of mind.
Without naming Keiko’s father, former President Alberto Fujimori, Leo said Peru had experienced difficult times and that events from the past should be addressed with justice and sensitivity. Alberto Fujimori was in power from 1990 to 2000 and spent 16 years in prison for human rights violations. While serving as a bishop, Robert Prevost publicly criticized the former president and the pardon he received in 2017.
The pope also emphasized environmental protection, pointing to the importance of the Amazon’s rivers, the Andes and Peru’s long coastline to local communities and their livelihoods. He said farming, fishing and mining should be carried out with care for nature and respect for communities that depend on it. Understanding each region, he added, can help anticipate natural hazards and better protect the population. Leo is scheduled to visit the Peruvian Amazon during his stay.
Before arriving in Peru, Leo visited Devoto Prison in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, the final day of his visit to Argentina. He listened to accounts from inmates and a former prisoner about faith and rehabilitation, and embraced the men who shared their stories.
