Pope Leo’s Latin American Journey Links Argentina and Peru, His Papal Homecoming
WHO:
Vatican News - Pope Leo XIV described Argentina as rich not only in geography but also in its people, praising their “creativity, the spontaneity, and the life that overflows at every turn.”
The Washington Post - Pope Leo XIV was naturalized as a Peruvian citizen in 2015.
CNN - Lisbeth Díaz, a Venezuelan resident of Chiclayo and member of the Diocese of Chiclayo’s Commission for Human Mobility and Human Trafficking, said Pope Leo welcomed migrants “with such warmth, with so much love.”
ABC News - Pope Leo XIV, whose birth name is Robert Prevost, is visiting Argentina and returning to Peru, where he spent more than two decades as a missionary priest and bishop. Peruvians know him as “Padre Robert.”
CNN - Father José Del Rosario, parish priest and rector of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel of La Legua, worked with Prevost and recalled his pandemic-era visits to Callao.
CNN - Janinna Sesa, former director of Caritas Chiclayo, worked with Prevost for eight years, including during the pandemic and natural disasters.
CNN - Reverend John Lydon, a fellow Augustinian who lived and worked with Prevost for a decade, said: “I believe his dedication to the poor and his defense of human rights will continue to define his visit.”
ABC News - Pope Francis had a strong connection to Devoto Prison and devotion to Our Lady of Luján.
WHAT:
The Washington Post - Pope Leo XIV appeared emotional when he landed in Peru, where crowds greeted him; the Vatican, citing Peruvian authorities, estimated that about 3 million people lined his welcome-convoy route for miles into Lima.
ABC News - Pope Leo said, “I believe his dedication to the poor and his defense of human rights will continue to define his visit.”
Vatican News - In his final Mass in Argentina, Pope Leo outlined a four-part journey for the faithful: reconciliation, enlightenment through the word of God, communion, and mission.
Vatican News - Pope Leo said there is a place for everyone at Christ’s table, especially those most in need.
Vatican News - Pope Leo asked Our Lady of Luján to guide the Argentine people and help them “build bridges of charity and networks of solidarity.”
Vatican News - At his final Mass in Argentina, Pope Leo called on the faithful to “build bridges of charity and networks of solidarity” and urged them: “Argentina, arise and walk!”
The Washington Post - About 3 million people, according to the Vatican citing Peruvian authorities, lined the route of Leo’s welcome convoy; the outlet described the turnout as a record for his papacy.
ABC News - Pope Leo’s scheduled prison visit in Argentina was intended to continue Pope Francis’ practice of meeting inmates and reminding them they are not alone and remain beloved children of God.
ABC News - Pope Francis celebrated Masses at Devoto Prison, visited cellblocks housing inmates with AIDS, and washed prisoners’ feet during the annual Holy Week ritual.
ABC News - The convicted prison chiefs’ sentences were handed down in December 2025.
NY Post - About 2 million people attended Pope Leo’s final event in Argentina, an outdoor Mass at the shrine of Our Lady of Luján.
CNN - The Diocese of Chiclayo’s commission reported that more than 10,000 people were affected by flooding caused by Cyclone Yaku.
ABC News - More than 2.8 million people took part in this year’s pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Luján, a record for the shrine, despite persistent rain.
ABC News - The 1978 prison massacre was officially covered up by the military dictatorship; courts later established it was an act of state violence.
ABC News - The prison chiefs convicted over the torture and deaths were each over 90 years old when sentenced.
CNN - Prevost and seminarians at the Augustinian mission in Trujillo staged dramatizations of violence against peasants to prompt discussion and help address trauma.
CNN - Prevost’s parishes in Trujillo collected the largest number of signatures for creating Peru’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
CNN - Pope Leo XIV is a Peruvian citizen; Reverend Edgard Rimaycuna, a native of Chiclayo, is one of his closest Vatican collaborators.
ABC News - Leo’s scheduled final stops in Argentina are a visit to Devoto Prison, a meeting with inmates, and a Mass at the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Luján, Argentina’s national shrine.
ABC News - Devoto Prison, opened in 1927, is undergoing closure and the transfer of more than 1,000 inmates to a new penitentiary complex.
ABC News - The prison was a clandestine detention and torture center during the 1976–1983 military dictatorship and became a Memory Site in 2012. In 1978, 65 prisoners died in the Seventh Pavilion Massacre.
ABC News - A federal court sentenced former prison chiefs Juan Carlos Ruiz and Horacio Martín Galíndez to 25 years for torture of 153 detainees and the deaths of 65 inmates.
CNN - Prevost distributed food and provided spiritual support during the COVID-19 crisis. Peru recorded more than 219,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
CNN - Prevost helped raise more than US$380,000 for two oxygen plants in Chiclayo.
CNN - Peru received more than 1.6 million Venezuelans through November 2025; more than 20,000 passed through Chiclayo, and more than 3,500 families settled there.
CNN - Prevost promoted migrant assistance, helped establish a shelter village at Puerto Etén, and encouraged legal-status regularization.
CNN - Prevost supported creation of Peru’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which investigated violence and human-rights abuses from 1980 to 2000.
CBS News World - Pope Leo visited Argentina during a South American tour following lung surgery.
WHERE:
ABC News - The Argentine visits are in Buenos Aires and Luján, about 72 kilometers (45 miles) northwest of Buenos Aires.
CNN - Leo’s Peru visit includes Lima, Cusco, Chiclayo, and other cities.
WHEN:
ABC News - The prison chiefs received their 25-year sentences in December 2025.
CNN - Prevost first arrived in Peru as a missionary in 1985.
CNN - He left for Rome in 2023 after Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
CNN - Prevost was chosen in the 2025 conclave.
WHY:
Vatican News - Pope Leo said reconciliation involves receiving God’s grace and undergoing forgiveness and reconciliation that renew peace, hope, and charity; he urged people who feel “tired, discouraged and disappointed” to be enlightened by God’s word.
Vatican News - Pope Leo said the Church’s diverse sensibilities and strong convictions can be a source of richness when grounded in unity, which he described as both a gift and a responsibility.
CNN - Cardinals’ support for Prevost’s candidacy reflected his experience in Peru, fluency in Spanish, Latin American roots, and understanding of the continent’s concerns.
ABC News - The prison visit reflects Leo’s practice of meeting inmates and reminding them they are not alone and remain beloved children of God.
ABC News - Human-rights lawyers sought to prevent disposal or sale of the prison site until investigations into crimes against humanity there are completed.
HOW:
CNN - At the Augustinian mission in Trujillo, Prevost and seminarians traveled through Andean towns and parishes on horseback to visit isolated areas.
CNN - During the pandemic, Prevost traveled more than 700 kilometers (435 miles) from Chiclayo to Callao, sometimes visiting every two weeks in a small car or pickup truck.
CNN - During Cyclone Yaku flooding, Prevost appealed for aid from Illimo while standing in water; he also personally waded through floodwaters to help residents.
(UPDATED November 12, 2026 10:58 UTC)
Pope Leo’s South American journey drew about three million people to welcome him in Peru. In Argentina, he urged reconciliation, solidarity, and care for people most in need. Returning to Peru, where he served for decades, Leo is warmly welcomed by longtime neighbors.
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(UPDATED November 12, 2026 05:01 UTC)
Pope Leo urged Argentines to reconcile, unite, and build bridges of charity and solidarity. He praised Argentina’s people before traveling to Peru, where he served for decades. In Peru, Leo’s migrant outreach and support for the poor remain warmly remembered.
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(UPDATED November 12, 2026 03:59 UTC)
Pope Leo XIV urged solidarity at his final Argentine Mass, then visited inmates at Devoto Prison. His trip continues in Peru, where he spent decades serving communities and supporting migrants. Leo returns as a Peruvian citizen, welcomed by millions and remembered for helping the poor.
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(UPDATED November 11, 2026 21:18 UTC)
Pope Leo is visiting Argentina, including Devoto Prison, before returning to Peru, where he served for decades. His prison visit continues outreach to inmates at a site marked by dictatorship-era abuses. In Peru, he is remembered for supporting migrants and disaster victims.
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(UPDATED November 11, 2026 19:03 UTC)
Pope Leo’s Argentina tour drew about two million people to an outdoor Mass at Luján. He is now returning to Peru, where he served for decades as a missionary priest and bishop. Former colleagues recall his support for migrants, flood victims, the poor, and human rights.
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(UPDATED November 11, 2026 14:00 UTC)
Pope Leo XIV’s return to Peru highlights decades of missionary work and service to the poor. In Argentina, he is visiting Devoto Prison, once a dictatorship-era torture center. Leo also plans to celebrate Mass at Luján, where this year’s pilgrimage set a record.
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(UPDATED November 11, 2026 13:04 UTC)
Pope Leo XIV is returning to Peru, where he served communities for decades as a missionary priest and bishop. In Argentina, he plans to meet inmates at Devoto Prison and celebrate Mass at Luján’s national shrine. In Peru, Leo’s work included pandemic relief, migrant assistance, and support for human rights.