Pope Leo continues South American tour with emotional homecoming in Peru

Pope Leo is currently conducting a 12-day, three-nation tour of South America, which is scheduled to conclude on November 17. The pontiff, who holds dual citizenship in the United States and Peru, recently completed a significant visit to Argentina, where he celebrated an outdoor Mass for approximately 2 million people at the shrine of Our Lady of Lujan. During the service, he advocated for social inclusivity, specifically mentioning the poor, migrants, and prisoners.

Following his time in Argentina, the Pope arrived in Peru, a country where he served as a missionary and bishop for two decades. His arrival in Lima on Wednesday was marked by record crowds of 3 million people, and he publicly declared the nation his homeland. The papal visit has effectively halted normal operations in Lima, as thousands of citizens gather in the streets and historic centers to witness his passage in an open-air popemobile. The tour represents an emotionally significant homecoming for the first Peruvian citizen to lead the Catholic Church, with security measures resulting in widespread street closures across both nations.