Rome: Pope Leo departed Rome for a 12-day tour of South America, with visits planned to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru. The trip is expected to draw millions of people as the first US-born pope returns to a region where he spent decades serving as a missionary.
The 71-year-old pontiff is undertaking one of the most demanding overseas tours by a Catholic leader in decades, covering around 31,000 kilometres (19,300 miles) across 10 cities and delivering 36 speeches before concluding the visit on November 17.
The Vatican stated that Pope Leo had fully recovered from lung cancer surgery performed last month and would not require any additional medical precautions during the journey.
Born in Chicago, Leo spent several decades in Peru, where he also acquired Peruvian citizenship. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni described the trip as a homecoming to places where the pope had spent much of his life and maintained close personal connections.
Pope expected to address regional challenges
Pope Leo left Rome’s Fiumicino airport early on November 6 and is scheduled to arrive in Uruguay at 4:30 pm local time (1930 GMT). He will spend three days in Uruguay, visiting three cities, before travelling to Argentina for another three days and Peru for six days.
During the tour, the pope is expected to deliver closely watched speeches to the governments of all three countries. His itinerary also includes outdoor Masses at major local venues, a visit to a prison in Argentina and helicopter journeys to remote Andean communities in Peru.
His engagements are expected to address several challenges facing the region, including environmental destruction, arms trafficking and political instability.
On November 8, Pope Leo is scheduled to address Argentine President Javier Milei, a right-wing libertarian leader who is considered a close ally of US President Donald Trump. Trump criticised the pope earlier this year after Leo spoke out against the Iran war Argentine officials expect around seven million people to attend events during the pope’s visit.
The tour also carries significance for the Catholic Church in the region. Latin America remains the world’s largest Catholic region by population, but the Church has faced declining membership as evangelical denominations expand and social attitudes and religious practices evolve.
The Vatican has also confirmed that Pope Leo will meet several survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy during the tour, although further details of these meetings have not been announced.
No additional medical precautions needed
Pope Leo’s South American tour comes after he underwent treatment in October for lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. His doctors have said the cancer was localised and that he would not need further treatment.
Medical experts stated that the decision to clear him for air travel suggested a low risk of complications following surgery, with the operated lung expected to have fully expanded and surgical wounds healing without signs of infection.
However, they noted that the demanding schedule could require regular rest periods. They also suggested that the pope might consider supplemental oxygen when necessary, particularly during visits to high-altitude communities in the Peruvian Andes.
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