Pope Leo XIV begins Latin America trip after lung surgery

Pope Leo XIV has set off on a demanding 12-day papal tour to Latin America, marking his return to international travel just three weeks after undergoing surgery for lung cancer. The extensive journey includes stops in Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, featuring a long-awaited return to the latter where he spent years serving as a priest. Vatican officials stated that no extraordinary health precautions are required for the 71-year-old pontiff, emphasizing that he is viewed as an individual who simply underwent an operation rather than someone managing a permanent medical condition.

During a preliminary briefing in Rome, a spokeswoman highlighted the Pope's strong stamina and enthusiasm for the official schedule, which he personally confirmed without any alterations. Professor Massimo Faggioli of Villanova University noted that the Vatican aims to project a message that normal duties have resumed, pointing to the pontiff's active recent schedule of speeches and public audiences. Despite these assurances, the itinerary remains physically demanding, encompassing thousands of miles from the Amazon basin to the Andes alongside numerous long-haul and local flights.

Pope Latin America Tour Itinerary

The journey begins in Uruguay, marking the country's first papal visit in forty years amid declining Catholic participation. The pontiff will subsequently travel to Argentina, the homeland of his predecessor Pope Francis. Father Fernando Laguna of Rome's Santa Maria Addolorata church noted that the visit serves as a tribute to Francis while bringing immense joy to local parishioners. This leg carries political sensitivity due to past tensions between President Javier Milei and church leadership over social justice and austerity measures, though Milei has publicly expressed joyful anticipation for the arrival.

Pope Leo XIV begins a demanding 12-day Latin America tour following lung cancer surgery.

The final and most personal segment of the journey takes place in Peru, described by the Vatican as a homecoming to his roots. Born in the United States, Robert Prevost spent nearly two decades in Peru, eventually acquiring citizenship. His schedule features a return to the Chiclayo diocese where he served as bishop, alongside a high-altitude Mass in Cusco and a visit to Pucallpa in the Amazon region. Across all three nations, the itinerary includes scheduled private meetings with survivors of clerical sexual abuse.

Why it matters

This journey represents a significant reconnection between the papacy and Latin America following the tenure of Pope Francis. It addresses pressing regional concerns regarding democracies in trouble while testing the 71-year-old pontiff's stamina following major surgery.