In an official announcement made this Thursday, Peruvian President José María Balcázar has confirmed that Pope Leo XIV will undertake an official visit to Peru in the first half of November, marking a highly anticipated homecoming for the Chicago-born pontiff with deep roots in the South American nation.
The disclosure came following a closed-door meeting between President Balcázar and the head of the Catholic Church at Vatican City. According to Balcázar, the pontiff plans to stop in six Peruvian cities: Puno, Iquitos, Cusco, Pucallpa, Piura, and Chiclayo. The latter holds particular personal significance for Pope Leo, who spent nearly 10 years carrying out pastoral work in the northern coastal community.
Long before his elevation to the papacy, Pope Leo resided in Trujillo, a major city on Peru’s northwestern coast, and formally obtained Peruvian citizenship in 2015. He departed Chiclayo for Rome in 2023, after then-Pope Francis appointed him to lead the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. From his very first address to the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square following his election as pontiff, Pope Leo publicly acknowledged his deep connection to the region, opening his remarks in Spanish with a shoutout to “My beloved diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop and shared their faith.” News of the planned visit has already sparked celebratory excitement among Chiclayo’s 800,000 residents, who have long embraced the pope as one of their own.
Chiclayo, located just 14 kilometers from the Pacific shore, serves as a critical economic hub for northern Peru, though it grapples with persistent social challenges, with roughly 20% of its population living below the poverty line.
In comments to Peruvian local radio outlet RPP, Balcázar noted that full details of the papal itinerary will be held for release at a later date, citing unspecified “religious policy and security reasons.” As of Thursday, the Vatican has not issued any official confirmation of the upcoming trip. However, widespread Vatican rumors suggest the Peru stop will be part of a broader South American tour that could include visits to neighboring Argentina and Uruguay.
This aligns with comments Pope Leo made to reporters back in December, following his pastoral visit to Lebanon. At that time, the pontiff acknowledged regional interest in a visit, noting “Argentina and Uruguay are awaiting the Pope’s visit. I believe Peru would also welcome me with open arms, and if I go to Peru, I would also visit many neighboring countries, but the plan is not yet finalized.”
The report was compiled with contributed reporting from AP Vatican correspondent Nicole Winfield.