Pope begins journey across 3 American nations
The pontiff will meet communities and national leaders during a journey connecting faith, public service and his deep regional ties.
Vatican City Pope Leo XIV left Rome on Friday for a 12-day visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, beginning a journey that will take him to ten cities across Latin America. The visit runs from November 6 to 17 and is his sixth international journey as pope, according to Vatican News. His aircraft departed from Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport at 7:05 am, carrying journalists accompanying him. Uruguay is the first stop. The Pope is scheduled to arrive at Montevideo’s Carrasco International Airport at about 4:30 pm, where he will receive an official welcome. His programme includes a welcome ceremony at Independence Square, followed by a meeting with government officials, members of civil society and diplomats. He will then visit Uruguay’s president before leading evening prayers with bishops, priests, deacons, religious communities and seminarians at Montevideo’s metropolitan cathedral. During his stay in Uruguay, from November 6 to 8, he will also visit Paysandú and Florida. The journey will continue in Argentina, with stops in Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Luján. Argentina was the homeland of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who did not return to the country during his papacy. The final stage will bring Leo to Peru, where he served for years as a missionary and bishop. His itinerary includes Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa, making this part of the journey a return to communities closely linked to his earlier life. Vatican officials expect the tour to involve about twelve flights and nearly 40 addresses in Spanish. Across the three countries, the programme combines official meetings with prayer and visits to local communities. The journey will bring the Pope into contact with people across a region that played an important role in shaping his work before he became head of the Catholic Church.
