Pope Leo XIV returns to Peru for emotional homecoming tour

Pope Leo XIV has traveled to Chiclayo as part of his ongoing apostolic journey through Peru, drawing massive crowds in the city where he previously served as bishop. An estimated half a million people attended an open-air mass at the Pampas de Pimentel, while hundreds of thousands more gathered along the streets to welcome the pontiff.

Addressing the faithful in his former diocese, Pope Leo expressed deep personal gratitude, remarking, "What a joy to return to Chiclayo! It is a blessing for me to be with you again!" The visit follows his departure from Argentina, where he concluded the previous leg of his Latin American tour with prayers at the Shrine of Our Lady of Luján.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica, La Vanguardia