Peru’s Chiclayo Prepares for Leo XIV Visit
Up to one million people are expected to attend a Mass for the pope in his former diocese on Friday.
By Diego Mendoza ·
Chiclayo, Peru, is preparing for a large scale reception for Pope Leo XIV.
The city of 700,000 residents will host the pope on Friday for his first major Mass in Peru. Church organizers estimate that as many as one million people may gather on a large field outside the city. This event marks the return of the former shepherd to the diocese he led for a decade.
Leo, born Robert Prevost, served as bishop of Chiclayo from 2014 until 2023. He was a Chicago-born Augustinian missionary who spent two decades in Peru. His time in the region included managing crises such as the 2019 floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a surge in Venezuelan migrants in 2018. Locals cite his focus on social justice and his proximity to poor communities as key reasons for his popularity. Rolando Antonio Mendoza, a poster vendor near the cathedral, noted that the pope has not forgotten his homeland despite his new title.
The city has adopted the pope’s arrival with visible enthusiasm. El Trebol restaurant has branded itself as the pope’s eatery and displays photos of him riding horses and wading through mud. The establishment sells ice pops featuring his image. A life-size cutout of Leo greets visitors at his former diocesan residence, where an exhibit displays the purple, scarlet, and white skullcaps he wore during his rise through the clergy.
Leo’s demeanor in Peru has shifted from his usual reserved manner. Since arriving on Wednesday, the 71-year-old has appeared emotional and energetic. He sang along to popular songs and tapped his fingers to the beat during events in Lima. On Thursday night, roughly 60,000 young Peruvians performed for him in a stadium. He also joked with local bishops about his recent lung cancer surgery, referencing skeptics who questioned his health.
The pope’s ministry in Chiclayo was inspired by St. Turibius de Mogrovejo, the 16th-century archbishop of Lima. Leo modeled his own approach on Mogrovejo, who traveled on horseback to serve his flock and advocated for Indigenous and enslaved peoples. Rev. John Lydon, an Augustinian who lived with Leo in Peru for over a decade, said the pope’s commitment to human rights and lay participation was formed during his early missionary work in Chulucanas and Trujillo. Lydon recalled that Leo led a signature campaign in the mid-1980s to mark the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Following the Friday Mass, Leo will meet with Chiclayo clergy and seminarians. He will also deliver a speech at the Catholic university where he served as chancellor. The university is named for St. Turibius de Mogrovejo.
