Pope Leo in Lima: an estimated 3 million turn out as he calls Peru his homeland

Arrival and crowds

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Lima on Wednesday, 11 November, opening the third and final leg of a trip that had already taken him to Uruguay and Argentina. Local officials estimated the crowd at 3 million, and the Vatican cited the same figure from local authorities. Crowds packed a route of more than ten kilometres from the airport to Lima's historic centre, waving flags and balloons and chanting "Leo, Leo, Leo". The pope rode in a closed vehicle at first and in an open-air popemobile for the final stretch to the Government Palace, where he met President Keiko Fujimori. In Callao, a 14-metre statue of him with outstretched arms overlooks a seaside park, while vendors in Lima sell pope-themed merchandise.

A speech about his homeland

In his first speech in Peru, delivered at Lima's national theatre, the pope said his connection to the country began long before he was entrusted with the Diocese of Chiclayo. He recalled more than two decades spent listening to Peruvians' concerns and learning their faith, and said they had shaped him as a shepherd by sharing their lives, joys and difficulties. He noted that he received Peruvian citizenship in 2015, and recalled families who welcomed him into their homes and offered him ceviche at their tables. He summed up the visit in one sentence:

“I can tell you, with deep gratitude, that I am returning to my homeland.”

Speaking to the country's authorities, he said that loving a people means wanting everyone to live in it with dignity and being ready to give something for its good. He also said past events deserve to be approached with justice and sensitivity, leaving room for concord and for resolving disputes with mutual respect.

Fujimori and the reconciliation message

President Keiko Fujimori, who won a narrow election victory earlier this year, welcomed the pope and called for national reconciliation, saying Peru needs peace to face its future. She linked the visit to the imminent El Niño phenomenon, describing the pope's arrival as a message of hope for families worried about it. According to the Irish Independent, the pope urged her to build confidence among Peruvians and alluded to the contested legacy of her father, the late former president Alberto Fujimori. Fujimori told the gathering that these were days of celebration and spirituality for all Peruvians.

Schedule and church voices

The pope will remain in Peru until 16 November. The Irish Independent describes a six-day visit that includes three days in Chiclayo, where he served as bishop from 2015 to 2023. La Stampa reports that Cusco is also on the itinerary, a city in the Andes at more than 3,000 metres of altitude. Archbishop Michele Pennisi told La Stampa that the final stage was the most moving part of the trip, because Leo spent more than twenty years in Peru, first in Chulucanas, then Trujillo and Chiclayo. Pennisi said Leo has always described his missionary years in Peru as important for his spiritual and human growth. The Church, the pope said, wants to stay close to those who suffer violence and to support efforts that protect life, dignity and human rights through respect for law and justice.