Peru: Pope receives warm welcome in his old diocese

Crowds waited up to 12 hours to attend the Mass

Source: Vatican Media/ICN

The faithful of Peru have continued to turn out in huge numbers to welcome the Holy Father as he continues his Apostolic Journey. And nowhere were the crowds more eager to greet someone they consider one of their own, than in Pope Leo's former diocese, Chiclayo.

Before flying north Pope Leo popped out on the balcony of the Apostolic Nunciature in Lima to say a surprise early morning farewell as he set off on the next leg of his journey "in a spirit of joy."

"Let us continue in this same spirit…..Let us continue to live this unity as we have experienced it here in Lima in these last days," he added, bidding farewell to the capital.

After a short journey to Pimentel, six miles from the Diocese of Chiclayo where he served as bishop before becoming pontiff, he was greeted by a million people lining the route of his motorcade.

Thousands arrived up to 12 hours earlier to hold vigils ahead of the historic outdoor Mass, braving hours in temperatures up to 30c just to get a glimpse of the man who served their Diocese from 2014 to 2023. Numbers swelled to an estimated half a million by the time Pope Leo arrived at the park, clearly moved by the welcome home.

"As I look at your faces, a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord arises in my heart for the blessing you have been and continue to be in my life".

There is a genuine mutual respect and affection between Pope and his people in Peru and nowhere more so than Chiclayo. They haven't forgotten his commitment to migrants, indigenous people and those in need during the catastrophic 2017 El Niño floods in the Lambayeqe region and again when the Covid19 pandemic struck three years later, his rallying clerical and civic leaders to raise money to buy two oxygen plants that provided free care to residents.

And he hasn't forgotten them, giving a shout out to Chiclayo in his first address after election as pontiff in May 2023 sending "a greeting to everyone and in particular to my beloved Diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where a faithful people has accompanied its bishop, shared its faith and given so much, so much, to continue being a faithful Church of Jesus Christ." He promised then he would return and he has kept that promise.

Speaking to the amassed faithful at Mass today Pope Leo invited the people of Chiclayo and Peru to "commit yourselves to sharing the living hope that is Jesus Christ and let the Gospel overflow from your villages, towns, and cities, proclaiming to all the glory of the Lord."

In his homily he recommended common prayers in homes which can lead to active participation in every aspect of their communities, stating that proclaiming Christ in the 21st Century meant active witness of an authentically Christian and coherent life, adding that evangelisation does not mean imposition of doctrines or trusting efficient strategies. "This duty demands humility and solicitude," he continued, "as well as profound respect for each other's conscience and freedom."

The Pope's schedule today included a private visit to the San Oscar Romero Chapel in the La Victoria district of Chiclayo and a later meeting with bishops, priests, religious representatives, seminarians and pastoral workers at the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace. He also planned to sit with members members of the university community at the Catholic University of Santo Toribio de Mogrvejo before ending his day with dinner with priests from the Diocese.

Watch highlights of Pope Leo's arrival in Chiclayo Diocese here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ6nYy2Rxu8