Pope Leo XIV begins Latin America tour after lung cancer surgery
Pope Leo XIV has started a 12-day tour of Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru just three weeks after undergoing lung cancer surgery.
Pope Leo XIV, the 71-year-old first pope from the United States, has begun a 12-day tour of Latin America three weeks after surgery for lung cancer. The Vatican states he has completely healed, with medical teams confirming the cancer had not spread and his surgical wounds are healing without infection.
Doctors detected a tumour during a routine scan and surgeons removed it along with the lower lobe of his right lung. The Vatican said no special medical precautions are being taken for the tour, which covers 31,000 kilometres across ten cities. Medical experts, however, suggested the pope may need rest breaks and supplemental oxygen during high-altitude visits in the Peruvian Andes. He has returned to a demanding schedule of 36 speeches and public audiences.
Peru Homecoming and Political Context
The most politically sensitive leg of the journey is the return to Peru, where Pope Leo lived as a missionary priest for two decades and holds citizenship. He was ordained bishop in the diocese of Chiclayo in 2014. The Vatican describes this as a 'homecoming' to his roots. The tour also addresses tensions in Argentina, where a pope has not visited since the late 1980s. There, President Javier Milei's government has been at odds with the country's bishops.
Symbolic and Practical Journey
The 12-day itinerary, running from November 6 to November 17, spans diverse landscapes from the Amazon rainforest to the Andes. The schedule includes multiple long-haul and local flights, with the pope traveling to remote Andean communities in Peru by helicopter. He will celebrate Mass in Cusco at an altitude of more than 3,000 metres and visit Pucallpa in the Amazon.
| Country | Duration | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Uruguay | Until Sunday | First papal visit in four decades; arrival at 4:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) Friday |
| Argentina | Three days | 7 million people expected at events; address to President Javier Milei on Sunday |
| Peru | Six days | Homecoming leg; includes high-altitude Mass and Amazon visit |
Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said the pope brings a message of communion and unity. His speeches will address environmental destruction, arms trafficking, and regional political instability. Professor Massimo Faggioli noted the symbolic health message, stating: "The Vatican's message with this trip is, 'that was a short episode and now we're back on track.'"
Challenges and Outreach
The visit occurs as the Catholic Church, in the world's largest Catholic region by numbers, loses ground to fast-growing evangelical denominations. Local leaders hope Leo's presence can reenergize faith and repair the Church's reputation. In a significant outreach, meetings with survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy are scheduled in all three countries. The pope will lead outdoor Masses at major local sites and address each national government in closely watched speeches.
