Pope Leo XIV has returned to Peru, the country he considers his second homeland, amid a massive popular celebration. Around three million people, according to Vatican estimates, gathered along the route of his motorcade through Lima to welcome the Pontiff on his six-day visit. The 71-year-old Pontiff, born in Chicago, spent more than two decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru and acquired Peruvian nationality in 2015.
During his arrival, some attendees chanted that the Pope is Peruvian as he travelled through the capital's streets, which were decked out with Peruvian and Vatican flags. Looking visibly moved, the Pontiff took part in the official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, singing the national anthem alongside President Keiko Fujimori and a children's choir. In his first speech to authorities and the diplomatic corps, Leo XIV stressed the deep ties he maintains with the country.
"Today I understand how much of this land remains in me and how much of my own story also belongs to you," the Pope said, adding that his years sharing the lives of the people helped shape him as a pastor. He also used his meeting with political representatives to call on Peru to confront painful historical chapters with justice and sensitivity. Among those present was President Fujimori, the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, whose 1990s rule was marked by violence, human rights abuses and the fight against the Shining Path guerrilla movement.
The trip is the final leg of a Latin American tour that previously took the Pope to Uruguay and Argentina. He will stay in the Andean country for nearly a week, travelling from the Amazon to the Andes with a visit to Cuzco and an emotional return to Chiclayo, where he served as bishop for a decade. The visit arrives during significant difficulties for Peru, including political instability, crime, rising living costs and natural disasters, prompting the Pope to urge authorities to protect lives and prevent disasters.
The broader Latin American tour has featured prominent social appeals from the Pontiff. While in Argentina, Leo XIV argued for a more inclusive economy and greater protection for vulnerable groups such as the poor, migrants, the sick and prisoners, in remarks interpreted as a criticism of spending cuts by Javier Milei's government.
Source: Euronews. Read the original report ↗