Pope Leo XIV draws record three million crowd in Lima
The pontiff returned to his adopted homeland for the final leg of a Latin American tour, urging Peru's new president to address the country's political divisions.
By Lauren Foster ·
Three million people gathered in Lima to greet Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday, a turnout that Vatican officials identified as the largest crowd of his papacy. The arrival marks the final stage of a three-nation trip across Latin America for the 71-year-old pontiff, who underwent lung cancer surgery just weeks before the journey began.
The reception in the capital was marked by large crowds in the main plaza, where attendees waved flags and wore shirts bearing the pope's image. Many held signs reading "Welcome home," reflecting the strong personal ties between the leader of the Catholic Church and the Peruvian public. This visit follows an outdoor Mass in Buenos Aires that drew an estimated 2.5 million attendees, capping a regional itinerary that included stops in Uruguay and Argentina.
Pope Leo, born in Chicago, spent two decades in Peru as a missionary priest and bishop. He holds Peruvian citizenship and considers the country his adopted homeland. At Lima's Gran Teatro Nacional, he described his return as having "a very special meaning." He noted, "Today, I understand how much of this land remains with me and how much of my own story also belongs to you."
Local authorities prepared extensively for the visit. In the seaside park of Callao, officials erected a 14-meter statue of the pope with outstretched arms. Merchants in Lima sold pope-themed shirts and souvenirs to the crowds. The pope's schedule includes a three-day stay in Chiclayo, where he served as bishop from 2015 to 2023.
The visit carried political weight during the pope's address to President Keiko Fujimori. He urged her to build confidence among the people following her narrow election victory earlier this year. Fujimori is the daughter of Alberto Fujimori, who led Peru through the 1990s and the conflict against Shining Path rebels. The pope asked citizens to cultivate honesty and integrity to maintain trust in democratic institutions.
In the speech, the pope invited the new president to confront the country's past. He stated, "Past events deserve to be treated with justice and sensitivity, leaving room for harmony to grow and for differences to be addressed with respect." President Fujimori responded by describing the visit as an invitation to continue Peru's "unfinished task" of national reconciliation.
The topic of reconciliation has a complex history for the pope. While serving as Bishop Robert Prevost, he criticized the 2017 pardon of Alberto Fujimori, arguing the former president should personally seek forgiveness from victims. Despite his recent surgery, the pope appeared in good form during the events in Lima, delivering long speeches with a clear voice.
