Pope Leo Arrives in Peru for Final Leg of South American Trip

Pope Leo Arrives in Peru

Pope Leo arrived in Peru on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, for the final leg of his 12-day apostolic journey to South America. The papal flight touched down at the Callao Air Base in Lima at about 5 p.m. local time after traveling around 2,000 miles on a four-hour, 20-minute flight from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Peru’s President Keiko Fujimori welcomed Pope Leo at the foot of the stairs, and two children presented him with flowers. A children’s choir sang hymns in Latin and people in the crowds lining his walkway shouted with excitement as he greeted people, especially babies and children, and accepted gifts.

Homecoming to a Familiar Country

The visit marks Pope Leo’s first return to Peru since his election and brings him back to a country where he spent two decades that shaped his ministry as an Augustinian missionary and bishop in Peru. He first arrived in Peru as a missionary priest in 1985 and later returned to lead the Diocese of Chiclayo, serving as its bishop from 2015 to 2023.

In his very first speech as pope, he gave a special shoutout in Spanish from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica to “my beloved Diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru,” where, he said, “a faithful people has accompanied its bishop, shared its faith and given so much, so much, to continue being a faithful Church of Jesus Christ.”

Itinerary in Peru

Pope Leo will have in Peru the longest stage of the tour, with six days in which he will visit Lima, Cusco, Pucallpa and Chiclayo. His first stop in Peru was at the Palacio de Gobierno for the official welcome ceremony and a private meeting with Fujimori.

The pope is scheduled to address the nation’s political authorities at Lima’s Grand National Theater at 7:45 p.m. in his first speech in Peru. On his second day in Lima, November 12, Pope Leo expects to meet with Peru’s bishops and lead mid-morning prayer at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist with the country’s Catholic community. He plans to give a speech outside the cathedral on the challenges and hopes of the Peruvian people. That evening, Pope Leo is scheduled to join young people and college students at the National Stadium for a prayer vigil.

In addition to Lima, the capital and largest city of Peru, Pope Leo will also visit Chiclayo, where he will celebrate a large outdoor Mass; Cusco, the former Inca capital in the Andes; and Pucallpa, a city on the Ucayali River in the Amazon rainforest, before arriving back in Rome on November 17.

Why it matters

• Pope Leo is returning to Peru, where he served as a missionary and bishop for two decades.
• The visit is the final leg of a 12-day apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.
• The pope will visit four Peruvian cities over six days, including Chiclayo, where he served as bishop from 2015 to 2023.

Sources

• internazionale.it: Pope Leo arrives in Peru for homecoming leg of his Latin American trip - Internazionale
• telesurenglish.net: Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Peru to Close Latin America Tour
• osvnews.com: Pope Leo XIV receives warm welcome as he arrives in Peru, his home for two decades - OSV News

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.