Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to return to Peru, where he served as a missionary, priest and bishop for more than two decades. (Foto: Instagram)
Pope Leo XIV will return to Peru during his South America trip, revisiting a country where he lived and worked for more than two decades. The visit, scheduled for Nov. 11-16, includes stops in places where Robert Francis Prevost served as a missionary, priest and bishop. Born in Chicago, he developed much of his pastoral experience in Peru, where he worked with local communities and led the Diocese of Chiclayo in the country’s north.
Prevost first arrived in Peru in 1985, serving as an Augustinian missionary in Chulucanas. From 1988 to 1999, he worked in Trujillo as a parish priest, seminary teacher and organizer of community activities. He later returned to northern Peru and served as bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. He also became a naturalized Peruvian citizen in 2015.
The ties remained visible after his election as pope. During his first appearance in the role, in May 2025, Leo XIV greeted the Diocese of Chiclayo in Spanish, calling it his “dear diocese,” and thanked the people who had followed his ministry there. In interviews after his election, he said that although he considers himself American, he also loves Peru and its people, who are part of his identity. He has described the country as “one of my many homes.”
The South America trip began in Uruguay on Nov. 6 and also includes Argentina. It is taking place less than a month after Leo XIV underwent surgery in October at Gemelli Hospital in Rome 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, and tests indicated the disease was localized and had been removed.
The pope left the hospital on Oct. 17 after five days and gradually resumed public engagements while undergoing medical evaluations. On Oct. 26, the Vatican said his test results showed favorable clinical conditions for travel. The surgeon who performed the operation also said there were no medical contraindications to the trip. The itinerary involves travel between several cities, including by plane and helicopter.
The Peru schedule begins in Lima on Nov. 11 with meetings with officials and civil society representatives. The next day, Leo XIV is due to meet bishops, religious figures, young people and university students. On Nov. 13, he will travel to Chiclayo to celebrate Mass, visit the San Óscar A. Romero Chapel and meet with religious and university community members.
Two days later, the pope is scheduled to visit Cusco and Pucallpa. In the Amazon region, he will meet missionaries and representatives of Indigenous peoples and celebrate Mass. The final leg includes Lima and Callao, where he is due to visit a care home for older adults and take part in a religious service at Las Palmas Air Base. Leo XIV is scheduled to leave Peru on Nov. 16 and arrive in Rome the following day.
