Pope Leo to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru

Source: Vatican Media

The Holy See has announced that Pope Leo will make an Apostolic Journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November 2026.

The Holy Father will visit Montevideo, Paysandú and Florida from 6 to 8 November; Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Luján from 8 to 11 November; and Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa from 11 to 17 November.

Uruguay, where Catholics make up only 36% of the population, is the country with the lowest number of Catholics in all of Latin America. Argentina, meanwhile, was the homeland of Leo's predecessor Pope Francis, although the late Pope, who hailed from Buenos Aires, did not manage to visit during his 12-year pontificate.

Peru, is a country which Pope Leo knows very well. He first arrived as a missionary in the 1980s, later serving as a bishop there and acquiring citizenship.

Archbishop Marcelo Daniel Colombo, President of the Argentine Bishops' Conference and Archbishop of Mendoza, said: "We are overjoyed to welcome the Holy Father to our country, receiving him as a witness to Christ and a pilgrim of His Good News. We know he brings us a message of hope; we know he comes in the name of Christ; and we know he also brings us the joy of the Gospel."

Bishop Milton Tróccoli, President of the Uruguayan Bishops' Conference, said the Pope's visit will be "a gift for the country and an opportunity to strengthen evangelisation, renew hope and reaffirm the Christian roots of the Uruguayan people."

Cardinal Carlos Castillo, Archbishop of Lima, said: "I can say with complete sincerity that there is enormous expectation as we prepare to welcome the Holy Father.

Recalling Peru's strong Catholic tradition, he added that the Pope is regarded as "a true friend of the people, of the entire nation".

He particularly emphasised the Pope's close ties with the people of Chiclayo, noting that the official announcement had fulfilled expectations that had been building over recent months.

"We have received this news not only with immense joy, but also as a powerful source of encouragement, inspiring us to embrace our faith with renewed generosity as we prepare to welcome him and reinvigorate our Christian and Catholic life," he said.

Cardinal Castillo noted that the Pope will arrive at a difficult time for Peru, as the country grapples with social problems including crime, contract killings and extortion, all of which have a particularly severe impact on its most vulnerable communities. Against this backdrop, he said the Pope's presence could help Peru reflect and renew its commitment to life, justice and solidarity.

"The Pope's presence can help us reflect and breathe new life into a people who already possess it."