Pope Leo XIV Embarks on Extensive South American Tour

Highlights

• Pope Leo XIV has begun his longest and most distant papal journey, a 12-day tour of South America.
• The itinerary includes stops in Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, where the pontiff will conduct services and engage in various meetings.
• The 71-year-old Pope is undertaking this demanding schedule just three weeks after undergoing lung cancer surgery.
• Despite Uruguay's highly secular environment, there is considerable enthusiasm for the Pope's visit, with tickets for a prayer gathering in Montevideo selling out rapidly.
• In Peru, the Pope will revisit areas where he previously lived and ministered for two decades, reconnecting with former communities.

Details

Departing from Rome on Friday, Pope Leo XIV's nearly two-week South American visit begins in Uruguay, where he is scheduled to spend three days. Uruguay stands out as Latin America's most secular nation, having been the first globally to permit recreational cannabis use and subsequently legalizing abortion, same-sex unions, and physician-assisted dying, often in defiance of Catholic Church doctrine. However, the reception for the Pope's arrival has been notably warm, with passes for his prayer event at Montevideo's Centenario Stadium selling out within a mere two days. During his time there, the Pope will meet with President Yamandu Orsi and visit the Casavalle district, an area known for its significant challenges with poverty and crime.

Following his visit to Uruguay, Pope Leo will proceed to Argentina, the homeland of his predecessor, Pope Francis. In Argentina, the current pontiff is slated to meet with President Javier Milei, who has faced criticism from the Catholic Church regarding budget cuts impacting social programs for the impoverished. Data from the Pew Research Center indicates a decline in Catholic identification among Argentinians, from 71% in 2013 to 58% by 2024. The Pope also plans to hold discussions with business leaders, labor organizations, and community representatives.

The final segment of the trip will take Pope Leo to Peru on Wednesday, a country where he resided and preached for twenty years. His return has generated considerable excitement, with plans to lead Mass in his former diocese of Chiclayo and in the mountain community of Santa Cruz de Succhabamba. Additionally, the Pope will celebrate Mass in the ancient Incan capital of Cusco before traveling to Pucallpa in the Peruvian Amazon to acknowledge the nation's indigenous communities. Peru has also experienced a decrease in its Catholic population, falling from 76% between 2013-2014 to approximately 67% currently.

Why it matters

This extensive and challenging South American tour by Pope Leo XIV holds significant importance, both for his personal health and for the Catholic Church's efforts to address declining faith in the region. The Pope's endeavor to revitalize religious commitment in increasingly secular countries and areas with diminishing Catholic adherents could mark a pivotal moment for the Church's future and its influence in South America. Furthermore, his engagements with political figures are expected to highlight pressing social and economic issues across the continent.