‘A Gift From Heaven’: Popular Pope Leo Prepares For Warm Peruvian Welcome
Pope Leo is expected to receive a warm welcome when he travels to three Latin American countries in November.
Leo, who spent two decades serving the Catholic church in Peru, is expected to visit the diocese he led in Chiclayo, a city in northwest Peru. Other stops on the 11-day trip include several cities in Uruguay and Argentina, with a full itinerary to be announced closer to the trip.
All signs point to the popular pope receiving an enthusiastic greeting from Catholic and political leaders, as well as the general public. A recent Pew Research Center study found that in all six Latin American countries it surveyed earlier this year, a majority of Catholics expressed a favorable view of Leo.
“Some of the most positive views are in Peru, where 79% of Catholics look favorably on the pope, including 39% who have a very favorable opinion of him,” according to the study’s authors.
Leo holds dual citizenship in Peru and the United States, where he was born and educated. His two decades in Peru saw him become an accepted member of the Chiclayo society and a leader within it. He lived alongside his parishioners through a decade-long dictatorship and conflict that brought street violence, public military operations and sabotaged electrical grids. An unstable post-dictatorship period led to three former presidents receiving prison sentences.
Matthew Casey-Pariseault, an associate clinical professor of history in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies, said Pope Leo’s Peruvian assignment may have prepared him for the papacy more than most, due to the country’s deep ties between religion and politics.
Throughout his tenure in Chiclayo, Leo advocated against the legalization of the death penalty and supported human rights organizations. He publicly called on former President Alberto Fujimori to “personally ask forgiveness” for the injustices committed under his direction.
When Leo — formerly known as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost — was unexpectedly chosen as pope in 2025, the nation celebrated. In Chiclayo, where he served as bishop, people spontaneously gathered in the streets, ringing church bells, telling stories about their friend, and celebrating well into the night.
Carolina Flores, a lawyer who joined the celebrations that night in Lima, told Reuters: “It is a tremendous gift from heaven that he is Peruvian. For us, the pope is Peruvian.”
He can likewise receive a warm welcome in Argentina, where 55% of the Catholic population view him favorably. He’s expected to stop in Montevideo, Paysandú and Florida, according to the Associated Press. His name recognition and popularity may tick higher in those cities after his visit:
A significant percentage (32%) of those surveyed in Argentina did not answer when asked about their perception of the pope. The survey authors said this was because “substantial shares of Catholics” in both countries reported not having heard of Leo.
His predecessor, Pope Francis, who was born and raised in Argentina, never returned to his home country after being chosen for the papacy, despite repeated invitations to come visit.
The Pew survey didn’t capture results from Uruguay, the smallest and most secular of the three countries, with about one-third of residents identifying as Catholic, according to Catholic media.
Other countries surveyed (which, taken together, are home to about three-quarters of Catholics in the region) largely favored the pope. The researchers noticed a difference in favorability ratings between Pope Leo and Francis’s early years — but pointed out that, this time around, more respondents simply didn’t know who Leo was.
The Vatican has yet to release details of the trip or Leo’s expected talking points, but if his four other international trips since becoming pope are any indication, it’s likely he will address care for the poor, care for the environment and church unity, among other topics.
You can read this story in Spanish here.
Cassidy Grom is the managing editor of Religion Unplugged. Her award-winning reporting and digital design work have appeared in numerous publications.