Pope Leo XIV declared Peru his homeland on Wednesday as he arrived in Lima for the final leg of a three-nation South American tour.
The arrival in Lima brought out an estimated 3 million people who lined the motorcade route, setting a new crowd record for the papacy. The pontiff landed at the Callao Air Base after a four-hour flight from Buenos Aires, greeted at the foot of the stairs by President Keiko Fujimori and two children offering flowers.
Foreign Minister Carlos Espá was also among the high-ranking officials receiving him at the airport, where a choir of 27 children from Sinfonía por el Perú performed.
During the welcome ceremony, the Chicago-born pontiff was joined by President Fujimori and a children’s choir. Millions of people lined the route of his welcome convoy into the city, waving Peruvian and Holy See flags while some in the roaring crowds broke through tight security to chase behind the car transporting him to the presidential palace for a private meeting with President Fujimori.
Baristas in the capital offered cappuccinos decorated with the image of the pope, and merchants sold pope-themed shirts and souvenirs.
Pope Leo XIV Shapes Papacy in Peru
Born in Chicago, the 71-year-old pontiff spent roughly two decades serving in Peru as an Augustinian missionary and bishop.
That deep familiarity with the country left a lasting mark on local communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he distributed food and led disaster relief efforts, earning a reputation for direct engagement that residents remember vividly. Before his departure for Rome, he spearheaded fundraising campaigns to assist people impacted by floods in northern Peru.
Local clergy recalled that he would visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel of La Legua every two weeks alone in a simple pickup truck. His ministry extended from coastal communities to Andean parishes thousands of feet above sea level, and he approached those regional differences not as something to be merely tolerated, but as gifts that could bind the church together.
“We were always on the front lines, especially during disasters like the coastal El Niño phenomenon. He was the person who put on his boots and waded into the water; he helped people. He was very approachable and very kind,” Janinna Sesa, former director of Caritas Chiclayo, told CNN.
The pontiff’s response to the massive arrival of Venezuelan migrants in 2018 was comprehensive. Data from the Commission for Human Mobility and Human Trafficking of the Diocese of Chiclayo notes that Peru welcomed upwards of 1.6 million Venezuelans up through November 2025—marking the second-highest total in the region behind Colombia—with over 20,000 transiting through Chiclayo and more than 3,500 families putting down roots locally.
We love him so much because he’s worked here, he knows our sufferings, he knows it all.
Evelina Cruz, via CBS News
Pope Leo Addresses Leaders at Lima Theater
Following his arrival, Pope Leo delivered his first public address in Peru at Lima’s Gran Teatro Nacional, speaking to national leaders and the diplomatic corps. He addressed the country’s political authorities after a private meeting with President Fujimori, whose father led Peru through the 1990s.
In 2017, when former President Alberto Fujimori was pardoned, Leo—then serving as Bishop Robert Prevost—publicly criticized the move, saying that the former president should personally seek forgiveness from victims if Peru were to achieve genuine reconciliation.
Pointing to the country’s turbulent past, the pontiff urged authorities to confront old wounds with justice and sensitivity. “honesty, integrity, and a willingness to engage with others” was what the pontiff called on Peruvians to cultivate, he said, while noting that many Peruvians face challenges after a decade that has seen a succession of nine presidents in ten years. In 2025, 25.7% of the Peruvian population was living in monetary poverty.
This return visit holds a very special meaning for me.
Pope Leo XIV, via Al Jazeera
Stops Continue in Chiclayo and Cusco
The apostolic journey continues with visits to Cusco and Chiclayo, where local businesses and residents have prepared extensive murals and memorabilia. Crews set up large screens outside St. Mary’s Cathedral in Chiclayo, and local restaurants such as El Trébol and Las Américas are tied to memories of the pontiff’s daily routines, where he would frequently stop for breakfast, braised goat, or local dishes while discussing church business.
Earlier coverage: Pope Leo XIV Concludes Uruguay Visit and Heads to Argentina Amid Political Tensions
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