Pope Leon XIV travels 19,000 miles across Latin America after lung surgery
The 71-year-old pontiff begins a 12-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru on November 6, covering 31,000 kilometers in his most extensive journey since becoming pope.
By Victoria Hayes ·
Pope Leon XIV departs for a 12-day tour of Latin America on Friday, November 6, embarking on the longest trip of his pontificate. The journey spans 31,000 kilometers, or 19,000 miles, across Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. The itinerary includes a dozen flights and two helicopter rides. This tour takes place three weeks after the pope underwent surgery on October 13 to remove a cancerous tumor from his lung.
The Vatican confirmed that no additional medical provisions are planned for the trip, despite the distance and the pope's recent procedure. The tour will include a visit to Cusco, Peru, where the altitude reaches 3,400 meters. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni stated that the condition is not permanent. "We are talking about something from which one recovers, because it is a surgery," Bruni said.
The tour begins in Uruguay, a nation of 3.5 million people where only one-third of the population identifies as Catholic. Uruguay is considered the most secular country in Latin America. It was the first country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana and recently approved assisted dying legislation. The Vatican expects the pope to address Church doctrine on these issues while acknowledging the country's historical Catholic roots.
The Argentine leg of the trip is expected to be politically sensitive. President Javier Milei, who describes himself as an anarcho-capitalist, previously called his predecessor, Pope Francis, a "disgusting leftist." Milei is currently seeking investment in artificial intelligence and data centers. Leo Guardado, an associate professor of theology at Fordham University, noted that this topic may arise during discussions given the pope's concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on humanity.
The final stop is Peru, the pope's birthplace and the country where he lived for two decades as a missionary. Leon XIV holds Peruvian citizenship and served as the bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. He will visit Lima and Chiclayo, returning to the streets he knows well. Maria Montserrat Alvarado, the Vatican's new communications chief, said the pope is enthusiastic about the trip. "He personally confirmed this trip without changes," Alvarado said.
In September, Leon told regional bishops that Peru is where he learned the meaning of being a pastor. "I came to know firsthand the faith of a people from whom I received so much," he said. Alvarado expects the pope to speak spontaneously in Spanish during the visit, similar to his relaxed demeanor during a recent trip to Spain.
The tour also serves to address the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who never returned to Argentina during his 13-year pontificate. Guzman Carriquiry, a former Vatican official and close friend of Francis, said Leon is filling a void. Carriquiry noted that Francis often deflected questions about returning home with jokes or silence. Leon's visit to Argentina follows trips to Spain and France, countries Francis had avoided.
The itinerary runs from November 6 to November 17. The pope will address topics such as economic injustice, the situation of indigenous peoples, and the Amazon region. He is also expected to discuss the Church's handling of clerical sexual abuse. The Vatican indicated that the pope's health has improved sufficiently to allow for the full schedule, including the high-altitude visit to Cusco.
Alvarado said the pope's message to non-believers in Uruguay will be to reconsider their relationship with the faith. "He is going to encounter people and hearts, and hopefully inspire them to seek again the places where the Church was great and is now small," she said. The pope will commemorate a major Catholic feast day in Uruguay on Sunday, a holiday connected to the nation's independence in 1825.
