Pope Leo Visits His Native Peru for the First Time

The first American to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics also holds Peruvian citizenship from his time as bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. As the head of state of the Vatican, he was even granted a third passport following his election last year.

Return to his “second home” – after stints in Uruguay and Argentina

To kick things off, Leo is expected in Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo, on November 6. Two days later, he’ll continue on to neighboring Argentina. Starting November 11, he’ll spend nearly a week in Peru, which the American-born priest likes to call his “second home.” The itinerary also includes a stop in Chiclayo, a city of 290,000 in the northwest of the country. There, people still call him “Monseñor Roberto” to this day.

Before becoming a bishop, the pontiff had already served as a missionary in Peru from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, under his birth name, Robert Prevost. Afterward, he served for several years as the global head of the Augustinian Order. Thanks to his nearly two decades in Peru, Leo speaks perfect Spanish. Before his next trip abroad, the 70-year-old is scheduled to visit France at the end of September.