Pope Leo XIV has begun a 12-day visit to South America, his longest overseas trip since becoming pontiff, with stops in Uruguay, Argentina and Peru following medical treatment and concerns about his health.
Pope Leo XIV on Friday began a 12-day tour of South America, marking his longest overseas trip since his election last year as head of the Catholic Church.
The 71-year-old pontiff is scheduled to make his first stop in Uruguay, where he is expected to arrive in the capital, Montevideo, on Friday evening.
His itinerary also includes neighbouring Argentina and Peru, where he spent more than 20 years as a missionary with the Augustinian order and later served as a bishop.
The United States-born Pope also holds Peruvian citizenship and speaks Spanish fluently.
The trip comes amid recent concerns about his health following a cancer diagnosis and lung surgery in mid-October, during which part of his right lung was removed.
However, his doctors subsequently cleared him for the journey, confirming that he was cancer-free. The Vatican also stated that his travel programme would proceed as originally planned.
The itinerary includes several meetings and religious services, as well as an excursion to an area of the Peruvian Andes approximately 3,700 metres above sea level.
South America has a significantly higher proportion of Catholics than Europe, making the region an important destination for the Pope’s pastoral engagements.
The political and religious landscapes of the three countries also differ. While Argentina and Peru are governed by right-wing populist leaders, President Javier Milei and President Keiko Fujimori, respectively, Uruguay maintains a strict separation between church and state.
Uruguay’s President, Yamandú Orsi, belongs to a left-wing political alliance.
The visit also carries historical significance following the death of Pope Francis, Leo’s predecessor, who was originally from Argentina.
Francis died at Easter in 2025 but never returned to his homeland as Pope.
Leo’s visit therefore marks an important engagement with a region that has played a significant role in the history and growth of the Catholic Church.
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