Pope Leo XIV returns to Peru where he served as archbishop
Pope Leo XIV has returned to Peru, where decades as a missionary and bishop—including eight years leading the church in Chiclayo—left a lasting impression. Peruvians recall his hands-on support during the pandemic and floods as he visits ci
FaithTap · Nov 14, 2026 · 1 min read
Pope Leo XIV returned to Chiclayo, Peru, his former diocese and adopted home, as the final stop of his 12-day South American tour. An estimated 500,000 people attended an open-air Mass, while about a million lined his motorcade route; Leo thanked residents for their support as he continued recovering from lung-cancer surgery. Many Peruvians remember him as a hands-on church leader who served poor communities during floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. The visit highlighted his advocacy for social welfare and multilateralism, positions that contrast with Argentine President Javier Milei’s austerity agenda and a more unilateral U.S. foreign policy. The enthusiastic welcome came amid a longer-term decline in Catholic affiliation in parts of Latin America, including Peru.