Pope Leo Begins 12-Day South American Tour

Pope Leo XIV has begun a 12-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, his longest foreign trip since becoming pope, running Nov. 6–17. The 71-year-old is traveling weeks after surgery removed a cancerous growth and part of his right lung; doctors said the cancer had not spread and cleared him to travel, and the Vatican kept his itinerary unchanged. He is expected to meet Uruguay’s President Yamandú Orsi before continuing to Argentina and Peru, where he spent nearly two decades as a missionary and bishop; his schedule includes flights, Masses, speeches and meetings with political leaders and communities. Leo hopes the visit will strengthen faith and renew hope amid inequality, violence and declining Catholicism. Vatican figures show nearly 77 million baptized Catholics across the three countries in 2024; baptisms have fallen substantially since 1980, while parish presence has expanded, priest numbers rose in Peru and declined in Uruguay and Argentina, and Catholic schools and charities remain significant, particularly in Argentina.