Pope Leo is set to begin a 12-day tour of South America on Friday, returning to countries with strong Catholic roots, including Peru, where he spent decades as a missionary, just weeks after undergoing lung cancer surgery.
The 71-year-old pontiff will visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru until November 17 in one of the most demanding overseas trips by a Catholic leader in decades.
The Vatican said the Pope had fully recovered from his operation last month and would not require any special medical arrangements during the tour.
He is expected to cover about 31,000 kilometres across 10 cities and deliver 36 speeches during the visit.
Born in Chicago, the United States, Leo spent several decades in Peru, where he also acquired citizenship. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni described the trip as a homecoming to places with which the Pope has a strong personal connection.
At his weekly audience in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday, Leo said he hoped the visit would strengthen faith, renew hope and encourage charity.
READ ALSO:Â Pope Leo Returns to Vatican After Lung Cancer Surgery
Pope to Address Regional Challenges
The Pope is scheduled to depart Rome early on Friday and arrive in Uruguay at 4.30 p.m. local time. He will spend three days in the country, followed by three days in Argentina and six days in Peru.
His itinerary includes meetings with government leaders, outdoor Masses at major religious sites, a visit to a prison in Argentina and trips by helicopter to remote communities in the Peruvian Andes.
On Sunday, Leo is expected to address Argentine President Javier Milei, a right-wing libertarian leader regarded as an ally of US President Donald Trump.
Trump criticised the Pope earlier this year after Leo spoke out against the war in Iran.
Bruni said the Pope’s speeches would address major challenges facing the region, including environmental destruction, arms trafficking and political instability.
He added that Leo would promote unity, mutual understanding and a sense of shared responsibility among people across the continent.
Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, who was from Argentina, visited Peru in 2018 but never returned to his home country. Argentina and Uruguay have not received a papal visit since the late 1980s.
Argentine officials estimate that about seven million people could attend events during Leo’s visit.
Church Seeks to Rebuild Confidence
The tour comes as the Catholic Church faces declining influence in Latin America, traditionally its largest region by Catholic population, amid the growing popularity of evangelical denominations and changing social attitudes.
Church leaders hope the Pope’s visit will renew religious commitment and help restore public confidence following sexual abuse scandals that have damaged the institution’s reputation.
The Vatican has also confirmed that Leo will meet survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy during the trip, although details of the meetings have not been disclosed.
The Pope underwent treatment in October for lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer. His doctors said the disease was localised and that he would not require further treatment following surgery.
Bruni said the Pope’s recovery meant additional medical precautions would not be necessary during the tour.
However, medical experts told Reuters that the demanding schedule could require regular rest periods. They also suggested that supplemental oxygen might be considered during visits to high-altitude areas of the Peruvian Andes.
