Pope Leo XIV Makes History As First Pontiff With Peruvian Citizenship
LIMA, Peru — In his first address as head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV offered a special greeting to the Diocese of Chiclayo in northern Peru, where he once served as a missionary and Archbishop Emeritus. Peru is celebrating his election as a historic milestone, as he becomes the first pope with dual citizenship — American by birth and Peruvian by naturalization. He even holds a Peruvian passport.
Robert Prevost, 68, was born in Chicago but embraced Peru as his adopted homeland after decades of pastoral work there. He became a naturalized Peruvian citizen in 2015 and obtained a Peruvian ID, making him the first pope to hold official Peruvian documentation.
The new pope speaks English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, and Church Latin. His election marks both continuity with Pope Francis’s legacy and a fresh chapter that puts Latin America — home to a significant portion of the world’s Catholics — back in the spotlight.
In Peru, where Catholicism remains the dominant religion, the news sparked widespread joy. According to a recent survey by the Institute of Peruvian Studies, the percentage of Peruvians identifying as Catholic has dropped from 76% to 64%, with evangelical churches seeing lots of growth in recent years.
During his message, Pope Leo XIV expressed deep affection for the country:
“A heartfelt greeting to my beloved Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people stood by their bishop, shared their faith, and gave so much to continue being the Church of Jesus Christ,” he said.
His connection to Peru dates back to the 1980s, when he arrived in the northern region of Piura as an Augustinian missionary. He later became bishop of Chiclayo, a role he held from 2015 to 2023. He’s widely remembered for his humility, compassion, and advocacy for Peru’s most vulnerable communities.
He also served as vice president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, the national organization of Catholic bishops.
News of his election was met with celebration across the country. The bells of Lima’s centuries-old cathedral rang out in joy, and additional festivities are being planned, especially in the communities where Pope Leo XIV left a lasting mark during his four decades of ministry.
You can read this story in Spanish here.
Reynaldo Aragaon is a veteran journalist based in Lima, Peru. He is a board member at The Media Project.