Pope Leo XIV will undertake his longest trip to date as he returns to Peru, a place he previously served as a missionary priest. His journey, scheduled for November, will also include Uruguay and Argentina. Unlike his Argentine predecessor, Pope Francis, who never returned to Argentina, Leo’s visit marks a homecoming to regions deeply familiar to him.
Visit to Uruguay
The journey begins in Uruguay, a country where secular values are deeply embedded, as reflected in Christmas being called Family Day and Holy Week referred to as Tourism Week. Leo will visit a parish in Casavalle, a neighborhood near the capital known for challenges such as drug trafficking and gang violence. Additionally, the visit coincides with Nov. 8, a Catholic feast day that honors Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, Uruguay’s patron saint.
Return to Argentina
Following Uruguay, Pope Leo will travel to Argentina. Argentine officials anticipate 7 million people to attend his visit. Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, never returned after his departure for the 2013 conclave. His avoidance was partly due to political tensions back home. Leo’s visit includes meetings with leaders such as libertarian President Javier Milei, who has controversial views but aligns with some church principles such as opposition to abortion.
On Nov. 9, Leo plans to visit the Don Orione care home in Claypole, a Catholic institution caring for over 300 individuals with disabilities. This visit carries political implications as Milei’s austerity measures have impacted funding for disabilities. While conflicts exist, Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno noted certain commonalities between the government and the Church, including a focus on poverty reduction.
Leo will also hold his first Mass in Argentina at Monumento de los Españoles, a site significant for John Paul II’s prayers during Argentina’s Falklands War with Britain.
Homecoming in Peru
Peru serves as the highlight of Leo’s trip. His return to Chiclayo, where he previously served as bishop, is significant and nostalgic. He will revisit familiar sites, including Pampas de Pimentel, where an expected million attendees will join him for Mass.
Leo will also visit a chapel dedicated to St. Oscar Romero, notable for championing the underprivileged. Accompanied by his personal secretary, Rev. Edgar Rimaycuna, Leo’s journey will also include prominent cultural destinations like Cusco’s main square, historically renowned for Túpac Amaru II’s rebellion against Spanish colonial forces.
Leo is set to honor Indigenous peoples by traveling to Pucallpa in the Amazon, where he will celebrate Mass.